Digimon Parallel
by Akari Tenmeino
Summary: Set in an original universe. It was the spring of 2002 when it happened. At first, it seemed like some fantastic quest out of a storybook. But none of them would have guessed what it meant to their world, in the past or future.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes:**

*Again, this is set in an original universe, so all of the characters are OCs.

*Some OC Digimon will appear, but most will be official.

*Honorifics are also used, (-san, -kun, etc.), though common Japanese phrases (eg. itadakimasu) will be in English.

*If you like it or think it needs work, please leave a review.

* * *

><p><strong>01: Those who stand for justice! Kindramon is born!<br>**

Footsteps echoed throughout the room as a figure approached a floating orb near the opposite wall. As the figure drew close, a hand extended to touch the orb. It lit up, and three screens appeared before the figure with symbols scrolling past at a rapid rate. A few moments later, the screens vanished and the orb went dark again. The figure turned and exited the room.

An alarm clock began to beep, but within a few seconds a hand descended on it and it fell silent. A pair of legs swung from the bed, and approached the wardrobe on the opposite wall. Pajamas flew across the room to fall onto the bed as their owner, a girl with long blonde hair, finished pulling on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

The girl walked over to the foot of the bed, snatching a pair of goggles from the bedside table as she went. Along the same wall as the bed was a long window. The girl pulled the curtain open partway, and grimaced. Rain fell into the street below, from a grey sky.

Yanking the curtain shut again, she pushed the goggles up onto her head, flicked her hair out of the way, and grabbed a backpack from her desk as she left the room. Shutting the door behind her, she walked down a short hallway and into a larger room. To her left was a sofa and lounge chairs, facing a TV which was currently playing the news. To the right was the kitchen, and in the far corner past the TV area was a dining table, currently occupied by an older boy in uniform.

As the girl drew closer, the boy glanced up and frowned.

'What is it?' The girl demanded, stopping just short of the table.

'Oh it's you, Seira,' the boy's eyes widened in disbelief. 'I thought a boy must've snuck into the house.'

Garbled words tumbled from Seira's mouth as she fixed the boy with a glare, while he took another bite from his toast and gazed back in vague amusement.

Wrenching her gaze from the boy, Seira pulled back a chair, grabbed a piece of toast from the stack on the table, and began coating it in jam. As she began to eat, she shot the boy another glare.

After a few minutes, a woman hurried out from the same hallway, carrying a large bag. 'Good morning,' she said as she spotted the pair at the table.

'Good morning,' they answered back.

'I'm going to leave now,' the woman continued, 'so whoever leaves the house last, remember to lock the door; it's been left unlocked three times this week now. I really don't want this to continue.'

'It was Kouhei-niisan,' Seira said with another glare at the boy. 'He's a lazy bum.'

'No, it was Haruto,' the boy argued through a mouthful of toast.

'Well, whoever it was, make sure the door is locked this time,' said the woman. 'And Seira, if soccer isn't on today, I want you back here to do some studying.'

'But Mum-' Seira groaned.

'You're in grade 5 already, Seira,' her mother stated. 'Soon you'll need to start preparing for junior high.'

'That's over a year away…' Seira muttered to herself, as their mother vanished down another hallway just past the dining table. Within a few moments, she had reappeared and was heading for the front door. 'I'll see you two later on, okay? I'm going now.'

'Have a safe trip,' the other two answered.

As Seira reached for a third piece of toast, a door slammed shut. Another boy a bit younger than Kouhei appeared, wearing the same uniform and carrying a schoolbag. 'Morning,' he said.

'Did you sleep in again, Haruto?' Kouhei asked. 'Wake up early for a change, so Mum's not after me about the front door all the time.'

'Huh?' Haruto gave him a look, and Seira rolled her eyes.

'Because she was out here blaming me for leaving it open, when you always sleep in and leave last,' Kouhei continued.

'But you're always watching TV when I leave,' said Haruto.

'Yeah, well, just get up earlier next time, okay?' said Kouhei, who then snatched Seira's third piece of toast out of her hands. With a squawk of 'Kouhei!', she lunged across the table and grabbed it back, leaving Kouhei holding a torn piece between his fingers.

'I'm going now too,' said Seira as she stood up and shoved the toast in her mouth.

'Make sure you lock the door this time, okay?' said Kouhei.

'Lock it yourself!' Seira yelled back.

'Huh, why?' Kouhei asked, as Haruto gave him a pained look.

'Figure it out!' Seira shouted as she slammed the door behind her. Grumbling to herself, she marched down the hall in the direction of the lift.

As Seira left the building a couple of minutes later, she glanced up at the sky again and sighed, before putting up her umbrella and setting off down the street.

'Akito, it's after eight already. Get up!'

At the sound of his mother's voice, the boy Akito rolled over and glanced at the clock. Alarm flooded his face. Within minutes his bedroom door flew open and he was tearing into the kitchen where his mother was holding some toast and a large bento.

'Thanks, Mum,' he said as he took them from her.

'You're welcome,' she said. 'Hurry now before you're late again!'

'I will,' he said, heading for the door.

'And remember your umbrella, it's raining out there.'

'Thanks Mum, I'm going now!'

'Have a safe trip.' Akito's mother sighed as the door shut behind her son.

As Akito raced down the street with toast in his mouth, Seira had already arrived at her school. With a resentful look at the main building and the grey sky behind it, she headed inside to exchange her sneakers for indoor shoes at her locker, before heading upstairs. The hallways were crowded with students sheltering from the rain; some were carrying umbrellas while others were soaked. Seira exchanged greetings with a few people as she headed to her classroom, but as she drew close, her eyes widened. A dark-haired boy in a blue hoodie was heading towards her. As her face shifted into a glare, the boy's eyes settled on her, and a glare crossed his face as well. As they swept past each other, Seira glanced back in the boy's direction, but he kept walking.

Several people were already clustered around desks when Seira arrived. After saying hello to a couple, she went over to her desk, which was right next to the window, and put down her bag and umbrella.

'Morning, Ryouta,' she said to the boy in the next seat, who was scribbling on a piece of paper.

'Morning,' he answered with a sullen look.

'The weather's bugging you too?' Seira asked.

'Well, yeah, but actually… it's those Maths questions from yesterday!' Ryouta burst out. 'Seira, can I look at yours, please?'

'I don't think you want to do that…' Seira said with a grimace.

They continued talking to each other; and to other classmates who came in for a while long, until the bell eventually rang.

'This is the end for me…' Ryouta moaned.

Akito was pounding down the hallway as the bell sounded, sending a panicked look across his face. Rounding a corner, his panic increased as he spotted his teacher approaching the classroom from the other direction.

'Well Matsumura-kun,' she said as he drew close. 'It looks like you've reached the classroom before me this time, but try and be a bit earlier next time, okay?'

'Thank you, Sensei!' Akito called out as he dashed into the classroom ahead of her, and flopped down into a seat near this window. A couple of boys closer to the entrance smirked at him.

At 8.30, bells everywhere rang with the start of a new school day. But amidst their sounding, down in the streets, something changed.

'Ryouta, would you stop sighing already?'

Seira and Ryouta were at a table in the cafeteria, along with another boy. Due to the weather, all the tables surrounding them were crammed full.

'But my Mum's going to kill me for this!' Ryouta protested.

'You want my Mum instead?' Seira gave a dark look.

'…Okay, okay,' Ryouta glanced down at the meat bun in his hands and then up at the other boy.

'Don't look at me like that; you know what I'm like with that stuff,' he said with chagrin.

'Oh, behind-' Seira began, when a third boy sat down between Ryouta and the second boy, and put his arms around their shoulders.

'Good morning! You all look so-'

'Oh shut up, Kazuya,' the second boy gave him a push, and he fell backwards off the bench.

'Are you okay, Kazuya-kun?' a girl, who was just behind them hurried forward to help him up, but before waiting for a reply, snapped to the other boy, 'That was awful Shinichi, you could've really hurt him!'

'If he wants to hurt me, he needs to try harder,' Kazuya declared, as he stood up and moved to the other side of the table.

'Guess you're lucky it's pouring today, then?' said Ryouta with a glance at a nearby window.

'I've been thinking though…' Kazuya deliberately rolled his eyes towards the ceiling, before glancing down at the occupants of the table, 'it might be fun if we tried playing in the mud for once.'

At his words the table exploded into of exclamations and stifled laughter, when above them thundered the voice of the other girl: 'That's just gross, you should be using this time to catch up on studying!'

The noise instantly died into a gloomy aura, as four sets of eyes turned to stare at her. 'Natsumi, did you have to bring that up?' Shinichi asked.

'Of course, it's for your own good!' Natsumi retorted.

'She's like your Mum, isn't she?' Kazuya muttered to Seira, who rolled her eyes.

As Akito's class broke up into groups to go and eat lunch, the two boys headed over to his desk, clutching bread rolls, and pulled up a couple of chairs. 'Nice save there earlier, Matsumura,' remarked one of them.

'I think that's the closest one yet,' added the other.

'Don't remind me,' Akito grumbled as he reached for his bag.

'Aw, don't be so boring, Matsumura,' said the first boy as he unwrapped his roll. 'Not everyone has your talent for that stuff.'

Akito, who had been pulling his bento from his bag, froze, and gave the boy an injured look.

'Hey, don't take it personally,' said the second boy. 'You know he's only messing with you.'

'I guess so,' Akito remained focussed on unwrapping his bento, and didn't look up at them. As he removed the lids, the other two boys stared at their contents. It was a two tier bento, brimming with a wide range of foods: fried chicken, shrimp, egg, sandwiches, salad, fruit, rice, and more all beamed up at them.

'She always gives you so much,' said the second boy.

'She never listens when I ask her not to,' Akito sighed.

'Must be 'cause you're so short,' muttered the first boy, while the second boy stifled a snigger.

'Don't say that!' Akito said, pulling a face.

'Okay, okay,' said the second boy, 'we were thinking of going to the arcade later, you want to come?'

Akito's face brightened and he nodded through a mouthful of fried chicken. The boys were forced to stifle further snickering.

As school ended for the day, and the hallways became crowded with chattering students, Seira and Ryouta headed to the class next door. There they were joined by Shinichi, while at the next classroom, Natsumi and Kazuya stood just inside the door arguing. It was only when Shinichi began dragging Kazuya back out the door that they could finally keep going.

As the bell rang at Akito's school, his two friends exchanged smirks, and snuck out of the classroom amidst the other students. Akito was giving a textbook an uncertain frown, when he sighed and pushed it into his backpack along with several other books. It was only then that he glanced up and realised the classroom was almost empty. With a garbled yell he snatched up his bag and umbrella and rushed out of the classroom.

Out on the school grounds, the two boys slowed to catch their breath, and broke into snickering. 'Oh I can't wait to see his face tomorrow,' said the first boy.

'You could always go back up there,' the second boy offered.

'You kidding?' The first boy gave him an incredulous look, when a voice broke through their conversation.

'Ah, wait for me!' Akito burst from the school building and sprinted in their direction.

'Aw crap, run!' the first boy yelled, and bolted towards the gate. The second boy followed close behind. Students jumped out of their way, and continued to stare as they hurried through the gate, turned and continued down the road, with Akito still yelling.

'What are we running for? I thought we were going together!'

'Now what are we supposed the do?' exclaimed the first boy.

'This was your plan to begin with!' the second boy yelled back.

The road continued unbroken along the exterior of the school, until it reached a number of houses. To the boys, the footpath was clear of any obstructions. And yet there it was, just before the end of the school's fence line.

'Come on, say something already!'

'This guy just doesn't quit,' the first boy grumbled.

'Let's go through that alley,' the second boy decided. 'Then we can hide in one of the shops over there.'

'You could've said that earlier,' said the first boy, even as both of them ran straight through that spot on the footpath.

'Just shut up and run!' the second boy retorted.

'Why won't you answer me? Come on! Just stop it already!' Although breathing hard, Akito continued after them, towards it.

'Sounds like he's broken,' the second boy commented.

'The guy's a moron, everyone knows that,' the first boy stated.

'Yeah… I guess.'

'I just wish he'd shut up and go away.'

'Uh, you know he stopped yelling a minute ago?'

'Oh, I guess he finally- huh?' the first boy glanced over his shoulder, and then stopped running.

'What?' The second boy stopped running, and joined him in looking up the street. Puzzlement creased his face.

There was no sign of Akito anywhere in the street.

After saying goodbye to Ryouta at the school gate, Seira and the others continued down another street in the opposite direction. After a few minutes of walking, the road branched, and Seira said goodbye to the other three before taking the left fork. As silence fell around her, she sighed and made a grimace, scuffing at the ground with her feet as she walked. Over time, the buildings around her grew taller, and shifted from houses to stores and apartments. Eventually, she crossed a road, and headed down an alleyway next to a convenience store. She didn't realise one of them was in the alleyway until she walked straight into it.

The middle of the three screens lit up, and symbols began appearing across it. Finally, at the bottom, several larger symbols appeared, and began flashing.

Seira's eyes widened as the alleyway, and the ground beneath it vanished into a blur of colours, shapes and symbols. Strange whirring, buzzing, beeping and other noises echoed around her with no obvious source. As she attempted to take everything in, her surroundings went dark, before abruptly reappearing, and shifting away towards the left, dragging her with them. Suddenly, the whole scene broke apart and as Seira's feet landed on solid ground, she stumbled forward a few steps before regaining her balance.

It was then she realised that she was now standing in grass, but as she stood up properly to view her surroundings, a flash of colour by her feet caught her eye. It was a rectangular device, with curved edges, like some bizarre communication device, or child's toy. In the middle was a small screen, enclosed in a black circle, which itself was inside a red ring, with wave-like shapes protruding towards either end. Three triangular buttons, white like the main body itself, sat below the screen.

Seira stooped down again to pick it up, but as she touched it, the screen lit up. Pulling her hand away again, she watched in uncertainty as a symbol like the Kanji _Ki_ (木), appeared on the screen, but with the two diagonal strokes being straight, and connected by another horizontal line along the top. A few moments later, the symbol disappeared, and was replaced by text:

"_Welcome to Digivice ver. 2.0 – D-Core."_

Frowning at it, Seira picked it up, and then stood up again. But as she did, the Digivice emitted a series of high-pitched beeps, and the text shifted to the words, _"First Runtime Wizard"_. Within moments, they too were replaced by a grid covering the whole screen. In the middle of the grid was a red dot, and a short distance above it was a flashing yellow dot. With each flash, the Digivice gave a beep.

Seira looked up at her surroundings, to find a hill sloping upwards in front of her, and mist obscuring anything beyond several paces. She began moving up the hill, and, glancing down at the Digivice, she found that the yellow dot was moving closer to the red one. Within a minute, the yellow dot was almost overlapping the red one, and a hunched over shape on the ground ahead of her jumped up, and began making odd movements.

As Seira drew closer, the shape changed into a short boy with orange-brown hair, who seemed to be brushing something off of his arms with one hand, and covering his nose with the other. At the sight of her however, he froze, with a panicked look on his face. Next to him lay a large backpack and a Digivice like Seira's, except that the red part was in yellow.

Despite his apparent anxiousness, Seira smiled slightly at the sight of another person. 'Hey, do you have any idea where this place is?' she asked.

As she spoke, the boy appeared to relax. 'I don't know,' he said. 'I… I was just running down the street from school, then there was all this stuff flying around, then I was here.' He glanced away with an awkward look, and rubbed at his nose again.

'That's what happened to me!' Seira said. 'This is just weird; nothing makes sense.' She scuffed at the ground with her foot.

The boy nodded at her.

'Still, we should probably look around and see if anyone's here,' Seira continued. 'There has to be a reason for this.'

'Yeah,' the boy nodded again, then seemed to remember something, and continued, 'I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Matsumura Akito, fourth year.'

'I'm Kawakami Seira, in fifth year,' Seira answered.  
>The grass rustled in a light breeze, and the mist shifted as they began heading up the hill. 'Akito,' Seira glanced sideways at the boy, who was touching his nose with one hand, and holding his yellow Digivice in the other, 'Is there something wrong with your nose?'<p>

Alarm crossed Akito's face, and he looked away from her. 'I… fell on it,' he muttered.

'You fell…?'

'When I appeared here.'

Seira recalled the strange space without gravity, then glanced at Akito and had to stifle a laugh.

'D-don't laugh at it!'

'Okay, okay, I'm sorry,' Seira attempted to calm him down, and then pointed at the Digivice she was holding.

'So, what do you think these things are? When I picked it up, it said something about a "Digivice".'

'Is that an English word?' Akito asked.

'I don't think so…' Seira grimaced.

Akito seemed disappointed at her answer, but his face suddenly brightened, and he said, 'Then maybe there's some secret organisation around here, maybe under this hill, and this is their top-secret super invention!'

Seira gaped at him in surprise.

'It's not like any of this makes sense anyway!' Akito declared.

Seira began to pull another face, when something in the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she turned to see a dark shape rising out of the mist. 'Hey, there's something over this way,' she said as she began moving in its direction, 'let's have a look.'

'Maybe there's someone there?' Akito wondered.

As they drew closer, the dark shape took the form of a hedge. A bit taller than Seira, it was grown from a tangle of vines, yet trimmed into the shape of a wall. Branches could be seen poking over the top, through the mist.

'Weird,' Seira gave the hedge a frown, then placed her hands on the top, and attempted to push herself a bit higher.

'Can you see anything?' Akito asked.

'Nope,' she let go again. 'Let's see if this works,' crouching down, she began pushing aside the vines.

'Seira-san, should you really do that?' Akito asked. 'What if the owner catches you?'

'Who knows if there is an owner,' said Seira, 'besides, who knows how far the gate is in all this.'

As she spoke, the vines she was pushing through began to distort, and with a gasp she withdrew her arms. 'What…?' she began, but before she could finish, a tall gate remained in the place that moments ago was occupied by vines.

'But that was just a hedge before…' Akito stared at it. 'This is just- wait, you're still going in there?' he asked, as Seira pushed the gate open.

'Yeah, I'm going to find out what's going on here,' she told him with a questioning look.

Akito returned her look with uncertainty, before sighing and following her through the gate.

As Seira let the gate shut, they both stared around at the sight before them. Compared to outside, the mist was much thinner, and drifted across the grass in smaller wisps. Off to the right stood a stone windmill with a thatched roof, though the sails were currently still. The heavy doors, framed with wood were also shut. Higher up the building, a number of small windows could be seen. Around the mill, clusters of trees and bushes were scattered, some sporting flowers. There was one cluster near Seira and Akito, while a much larger number grew further back, about level with the back of the mill. It could've been considered almost normal, except for the eggs. Large, and covered in patterns and colours, they lay nestled amidst the plants in large numbers. Beside her, Seira noticed Akito take a step forward, towards the closest group.

'They're called Digitama.'

While Seira and Akito had been staring at the eggs, they hadn't noticed the windmill's door come ajar, nor figure now approaching them slip outside. Although it appeared to be a woman, her skin was an odd shade of grey, which seemed to blend into the surroundings. She wore a dark bodysuit with a skirt that seemed made up of strips, and around her neck was a scarf, which then entwined around her arms, to cover her hands. Her black hair fell across her back in waves, and her face was obscured by a mask, but through the eyeholes, dark pupils could be seen.

'I'm sorry for surprising you,' she said while approaching them. 'But I'm glad you're finally here. There isn't much time left.'

'What are you talking about?' Seira gave her a puzzled look, when flashing caught her eye, and she glanced down at her Digivice to see the words _"First Runtime Wizard"_ displaying again. Akito was staring at his Digivice in similar confusion. As Seira glanced back at hers, a hologram appeared to expand outward from the original screen, and a picture of the woman appeared along with a bunch of text. With a frown crossing her face, Seira began to read it out.

'"Shadowmon. Adult Level, Data Attribute, Bewitching Shadow Digimon…" what is this thing?' she trailed off and glanced up at the woman.

'That's just the analyser program reading my data,' the woman, Shadowmon, stated, 'but we can discuss that later. Right now, you need to find your partners' Digitama so we can leave here.'

Seira and Akito glanced at each other, and then back at her. 'Can't you explain this first?' Seira asked.

A frown crossed Shadowmon's face, but a moment later, she said, 'There is an enemy coming here who wishes to capture you, and it is my job to take you and your partner Digimon to a safe place. It is with the help of your partner Digimon that we intend to fight against the enemy. Their Digitama were sent here in order to protect them from the enemy, but they have found out. I don't know which ones they are, just that they're mixed in with the other Digitama, but as their partners, you can probably find them.'

Despite her explanation, Seira's expression was still filled with uncertainty, but Akito glanced back at the closest group of Digitama, and said, 'I think mine's one of those.'

'Wait, you think all that's real?' Seira demanded as he headed towards the Digitama.

'It's this egg,' he crouched down and pointed at a dark grey egg, covered in blue lines. 'I don't get it, but it somehow feels familiar. So maybe this whole thing is real.'

Without waiting for her to answer, he reached out and touched it, but then gasped and jerked his hand back.

'What is it?' Seira asked, moving over to him.

'It _moved_,' he said. 'I don't know how to describe it, but I think it _knows_.'

Seira just stared at him with raised eyebrows, when she heard Shadowmon behind her again: 'So girl, since your friend has found his partner, could you find yours as well so we can leave?'

'It's _Seira_, not _girl_,' she retorted before stomping away, leaving Akito staring after her with a disheartened look.

Casting glances around at nearby Digitama, Seira wandered past the windmill, and then crouched down in front of a few Digitama resting in some ferns. Their vivid colours and intricate patterns were unlike any egg she'd ever heard of, to the point of being alienating. She glanced over her shoulder to see Akito had picked his Digitama up, and was looking in her direction. At that she stood up, and marched towards the far line of trees, that seemed to border the area. There too, Digitama poked from between the plants, showing of their colours to the world. With a resentful look, Seira bent over and reached towards a bright red egg with gold spots.

And then she stopped. Her head turned, and although it was a few metres away, something seemed to gleam at her from amidst the plants. Seira's body straightened, and her legs carried her to where it lay. Crouching down again, she pushed some shrubbery out of the way and stared at it.

The Digitama was a bold blue, except for the maroon dashes covering its surface. It may have seemed no different to any of the other Digitama, and yet in Seira's eyes it stood out far more than any of the others, as though it radiated with a light only she could see. In spite of herself, something in her chest seemed to throb at the sight of it. Her hand began to extend, and as it touched the shell, something inside shifted, causing her to catch her breath.

'So you found yours after all?' Seira jumped at the voice, and turned to find Akito standing behind her, clasping the grey and blue Digitama in one arm, and holding the yellow Digivice in his free hand. Behind him, Shadowmon was also approaching.

'Yeah,' Seira's mouth twinged with a smile and she pushed her Digivice into her pocket, grabbed her own Digitama and stood up.

'So, you're both sure you have the correct Digitama?' Shadowmon asked with a look at Seira.

'Yes,' Seira returned her gaze.

'I am too,' said Akito.

Shadowmon opened her mouth to speak again, but as she did, her eyes fell to Akito's feet. As Seira followed her gaze, she noticed the ground he was standing on was blurring and shifting.

At that moment, shrill beeping pierced the air, and Seira and Akito glanced down at their Digivices to find the word "_DANGER_" covering the screens. It quickly changed to a flickering red screen with arrows pointing to the centre, before the word "_DANGER_" reappeared.

'W-what is…?' Akito looked up at Shadowmon, only to find her leaping at him. A moment later he gave a cry as the Digivice flew into the air, where it spun for a moment; before it, and he, also blurred, and disappeared.

'What was that?' Seira demanded. 'You… you're an enemy too, aren't you?' Gritting her teeth, she took a step back towards the plants.

Shadowmon spun on the spot and lunged at Seira, who cried out and jumped backwards. But before Shadowmon could reach her, the scenery distorted and gave way to an array of symbols, shapes, and flashing colours. After a moment, everything went dark, and quickly reappeared, before dissolving into a paved alleyway, sandwiched between two buildings.

As her feet came in contact with the ground, Seira stumbled and fell backwards with a yelp; the Digitama landing in her lap. But before she could groan at the pain, her eyes fell on what occupied the space she had just fallen out of: shifting, distorting shapes and colours; shrunken and transparent, yet still visible. As she stood up again, Seira glanced back down the alleyway, then sidled around the strange mass and hurried through to the other side.

With a sigh, Seira pulled the door shut behind her. 'I'm home…' she said, but there was no answer. After pulling off her shoes, she set her bag and the Digitama down on the dining table, threw herself onto the sofa, and turned the TV on. The noise blared into the room, assaulting her ears as she lay still, watching people scurry about on screen. She had been lying there for a few minutes, when she became aware of a gnawing sensation in her stomach. As she got up and headed for the kitchen, her gaze passed over the Digitama on the table. In the kitchen, she grabbed a bag of chips from the pantry, and began pouring them into a bowl, when a new noise reached her ears, jostling with the TV. She glanced up in time to see the Digitama roll on its side, and vaporise into a pale lump.

Without another glance at the chips, she hurried over to the table, and stared at the creature now sitting where the Digitama had been. A bit smaller than a soccer ball, its body was bluish-white, and consisted only of it blob-like head. A pair of small black spikes stuck out above its grey eyes, and its ears were wing-like streamers. As its eyes fell on Seira, it shuffled away slightly, and began emitting high-pitched rasping noises.

It could have almost been considered cute, and Seira's mouth twitched at the thought. Then something else sprang to her mind, and she pulled the red Digivice out of her pocket. She pointed it at the creature, which yelped louder than before, then held the Digivice in front of her again, and pressed the middle button.

The holographic screen expanded from the Digivice, and within moments a picture of the creature appeared, along with text.

'"Hatchmon. Baby I Level, Slime Digimon. Its special attack is "Smokey Stream"…' Seira trailed off and glanced up. Wisps of smoke were trailing from Hatchmon's mouth, and its face was creased into an unmistakable frown.

Seira's eyes widened, and the place where she was standing suddenly emptied. Within moments, she sitting backwards at the sofa, watching the creature from over the backrest. With a snort in her direction, Hatchmon began a shuffling bounce, and disappeared behind Seira's bag.

With a chagrined look at the spot where it vanished, Seira gave a groan and let her chin fall on to the backrest. 'Geez,' she muttered. 'What do you want to attack me over…?'

Only silence met her question.

'Fine,' she got up from the sofa, 'I'll just have to show you.'

As she went past the table, there was a squeak from behind her bag. But as she moved away again, Hatchmon peered out from behind it.

Back in the kitchen, Seira pulled a bowl out of a cupboard, then took a bottle of milk from the fridge, and poured some into the bowl. She then picked up the bowl, and approached the table again, but as she did, Hatchmon squeaked and hid behind her bag again. As more smoke began to trail from its mouth, Seira put the bowl down on the table nearby, and backed away.

After a moment, Hatchmon shuffled out from behind Seira's bag, and stopped in front of the milk. Its cheeks puffed up, and another frown crossed its face. Suddenly, it leant forward, opened its mouth, and lapped some of the milk into its mouth. Then moments later its face scrunched up, as it spat the milk from its mouth, and with a whine it disappeared behind her bag again.

Seira watched the whole incident with her mouth hanging open, and groaned as Hatchmon vanished again. 'Come on,' she approached the table again, 'what's wrong with-'

But before she could finish her sentence, a loud trilling filled the air, prompting a yelp from Seira's bag. She turned around to find the phone ringing nearby, and hurried past the table to answer it.

'Hello? This is Kawakami.'

'Seira, it's me,' Haruto's voice crackled from the receiver. 'Can you go check something for me?'

'Yeah, what is it?' With her back turned to the table, Seira didn't see Hatchmon peer from behind her bag again.

'I think I left this English book on my desk,' Haruto continued. 'Some of my friends wanted a look at it.'

'Okay, I'll have a look,' Seira hurried down the hallway next to where the phone stood. As she opened a door and headed inside, Hatchmon dropped down from the table, and bounced away in the other direction.

Soon after, Seira emerged from the room with a pained look. 'How long will you be?' she asked.

'Oi, you know it's just up the road from your school, that's where we always study,' Haruto told her.

'You sure you can't do without it?' emerging from the hallway, she cast a glance at the table, and her face froze.

'No, they're going to be-'

'Okay, I have to go, see you.' Seira hung up before he could finish, and rushed to the table. Hatchmon was no longer anywhere on it. A crunching sound met her ears, and she looked up in its direction. Leaving the phone on the table, she moved over to the kitchen's entrance to get a proper look. Her face froze, with her mouth falling open. At the far end of the bench, Hatchmon sat in front of Seira's now overturned, and almost empty bowl of chips.

Seira took a couple of steps towards it, the same stricken look on her face, making strangled noises that died before forming actual words. Hatchmon looked up at the noise, and puffed its cheeks at her again. Then after a moment, its eyes seemed to bulge as well, and with a squeak its body erupted with light.

Seira gasped, and froze where she stood. The light obscured Hatchmon's body, yet through the glow, zeroes and ones could be seen flickering across its skin, and then disappearing. After a moment, its body began to lengthen; a long tail sprouted from one end; stubbly legs, the front pair being smaller than the back, grew from the bottom, and from the other end grew a long snout. Finally, the light seemed to shatter away from it, leaving behind the changed Hatchmon.

Now the shape of a lizard, it was the length of a small cat, and pale blue in colour, aside from its white underside. The black horns had grown slightly, while the wing-like ears had shortened. A small pair of flaps had also grown on its back.

'What, why…' Seira walked over to it. Attempting to gather her thoughts into a sentence, she finally said, 'Did the chips do that…?'

Hatchmon fixed Seira with a frown, and opened her mouth. 'Of course,' she answered in the voice of a young girl. 'It's evolution, isn't that obvious?'

'You can talk?' Seira exclaimed. 'Then why were you just making noises before?'

'Because I couldn't talk until I evolved,' Hatchmon continued to frown at her. 'It's because I'm a newborn.'

'A newborn _what_?' Seira gaped at her.

'Digimon, obviously,' Hatchmon stated. 'What else is there?'

'What's a Digimon?' Seira recalled Shadowmon, as well as her red Digivice, using the term, but still hadn't found the meaning.

'It's short for Digital Monster,' Hatchmon was giving her a very strange look. 'How can you not know that? Aren't you a Digimon too?'

'No, I'm a human,' Seira told her.

'Human…? So those actually exist?' Hatchmon asked her.

'I'm standing right here…' Seira gave her a strange look in return.

'According to the General Knowledge Database, humans are only a rumoured existence; no one's ever seen one before,' wonderment seemed to enter Hatchmon's voice. 'Then where is this place?'

'Tokyo…' Seira offered.

'That's a strange name,' Hatchmon frowned at it. 'Where is it located? Or is that the name of this world itself?'

'It's in Japan. On Earth.'

'It must be separate from the Digital World, then,' Hatchmon thought aloud.

'Digital World…?' as Seira repeated the name, the garden of Digitama, and the strange space of shapes and symbols sprang back into her mind.

'Human, is this Tokyo a safe place?' Hatchmon asked.

'Yeah, and my name's Seira, not human,' Seira told her.

'I see. I suppose you don't know, Seira, since you're a human, but I am called Kleinemon. I may stay here for the time being, until I evolve again, since the Digital World can be a dangerous place.' As she spoke, she jumped down from the bench again, and trotted past Seira.

'You know, it isn't just me living here,' Seira turned and watched as she continued heading towards the table. 'I don't know what my family will think of you.'

'Family?' Kleine stopped, turned to face her, and then sat up on her hind legs. 'What's that?'

'You know, mum, dad, siblings…' Seira trailed of as she saw the puzzled look on Kleinemon's face wasn't changing. 'They're the other people who live here, okay? I don't think they'll want you here.'

'I can't just leave, though,' Kleinemon frowned, 'if I went to the Digital World now, I wouldn't be able to protect myself.'

Seira remained silent for a moment, before saying, 'You can stay in my wardrobe then; there's lots of room and they don't usually go in there.'

'So you're thinking of hiding me from them?' Kleinemon's eyes widened.

'Yeah, what's wrong with that?'

'That's not very honest; you really should tell them about something so important.'

Seira stared at her in disbelief, and then said, 'You know, Digimon or whatever don't appear here. They'll just think you're talking lizard or-'

As the words left her mouth, Kleinemon's frown deepened, and her cheeks puffed in a manner similar to when she was Hatchmon. 'Don't you dare call me a lizard! I am the infant dragon Digimon, Kleinemon! If you'd rather hide, then I'll explain everything to this "family" myself!'

And with those words, she turned and jumped back up onto the dining table, yet at the sight of the phone sitting nearby, backed away a few steps in alarm. After a moment, her expression shifted into resolve, and she took a few steps towards it, then lowered her head, ran at the phone and began pushing it towards the edge of the table.

'What are you doing?' Seira hurried towards her.

Kleinemon stopped and looked up at her. 'I'm getting rid of this awful thing before it makes any more noise,' she stated.

'Then let me take care of it,' Seira grabbed it from the table, and returned it to the main unit. 'And it's just a phone, what's awful about it?'

'I don't care if it's a phone, just don't let it make that noise again,' Kleinemon insisted, with a desperate edge in her voice.

'You know you're making a lot of demands considering your situation,' Seira made a grimace at the wall.

'Only because so many things here need to be sorted out,' Kleinemon stated. 'Like this white stuff,' she flicked her tail in the direction of the milk. 'You can get rid of it as well.'

'Hey, I put that "stuff" out because I thought you were hungry,' Seira retorted as she strode back to the table. 'Why'd you eat my chips instead?'

Kleinemon appeared to consider her words, then said, 'Thank you for considering me then, but that stuff is too cold to drink.'

'Oh,' Seira stared at her in surprise for a moment, and then picked up the bowl. 'Right, I'm heating this up then,' she said as she went back into the kitchen. 'And you're going to drink it all this time.'

'I'll decide that for myself,' Kleinemon declared, and lay down next to Seira's bag, as Seira herself made a dark face.

Seira pushed a few buttons, and watched as the milk revolved in the microwave. Kleinemon continued to gaze in her direction. Within a couple of minutes, Seira was putting the bowl down in front of Kleinemon again. 'Okay, try it now,' she said.

Kleinemon cast a pouting look at Seira, which she then directed to the bowl of milk instead. She continued glaring at it for a few moments, before lowering her head, and lapping some into her mouth.

'So how is it?' Seira asked.

Kleinemon's directed her attention down to the table. 'It's fine,' she muttered. 'Thank you.'

Seira's face shifted into a slight smile. 'Well, good,' she gave a sigh. 'I'm getting some more chips then,' she said as she headed back to the kitchen. With her back to the table, uncertainty flickered across her face again.

As she opened a new bag of chips, and put one in her mouth; Seira looked back at Kleinemon, who was still lapping up the milk, before her gaze shifted back to the TV. Within a couple of minutes, Kleinemon had finished the milk, and reared up on her hind legs to get a look at the TV. But as she did, her eyes widened, and her lips pulled back into a snarl.

'I can sense a killing intent,' she said as she glanced around the room. 'I think there's a hostile Digimon nearby.'

Shadowmon's face flashed through Seira's mind, and she dropped a handful of chips back into the bag. 'Looks like we can't run away anymore,' she thought aloud. 'Where is it then?' she asked Kleinemon.

'Just let me outside and I'll find it,' Kleinemon retorted.

'Right,' Seira headed back to the table, and attempted to pick up Kleinemon.

But as she reached out towards her, Kleinemon shuffled away, and gave her a fierce look. 'I can walk myself!' And so saying, she dropped off the table. Seira gave her a frustrated look, before going to the door.

The street below seemed devoid of any life, but without hesitating, Kleinemon darted across the road, Seira following behind her. 'It must have come through this thing,' Seira pointed at the strange portal, from earlier. 'Then why isn't it-'

As she spoke, she took a step forward, and a wire that was strung across the alley snapped against her leg. A plastic bag plummeted to the ground, engulfing them in a cloud of white.

'What the heck is this stuff?' Kleinemon spluttered through the powder.

Seira screwed her eyes shut, and coughed for a few moments, before rubbing some of it together in her fingers. 'Looks like flour,' she said, before coughing again.

'What sort of idiot would put a bag of flour up there?' Kleinemon demanded.

In response, laughter erupted from the other end of the alley. '"What sort of idiot?" Haha! If only you could see your faces.'

From the far street, a figure stepped into the alley. It could have been a human child, except for its pale blue skin, devil tail, and red claws protruding from its fingers and feet. It wore navy boots, black pants, and wristbands, and a black mask covered its entire head, with the exception of its large mouth, which was stretched into a wide grin. Two eyes, with vertical pupils, one red and one green, were printed across the mask, and two bat wings curved over its chest, and were joined by a pendant.

'I should've guessed it was you,' Kleinemon clenched her teeth. 'Only one of you could come up with something as pathetic as this.'

'No it's not! You just don't understand how great my pranks are!' the Digimon jumped up and down, waving his arms in the air. 'You must be jealous,' he nodded to himself.

Seira stared at him in bewilderment for a few moments, before pulling out her Digivice and pushing the middle button. A picture of the Digimon appeared, along with information:

"_Dracmon. Child Level, Virus Attribute, Undead Digimon. Its special attacks are Undead Fang and Eye of Nightmare."_

'As if anyone would ever be jealous of you,' Kleinemon retorted. 'What are you even doing here anyway? This place isn't the Digital World.'

Dracmon gave her a smirk, and answered: 'Shadowmon-sama has requested I bring her that human,' he pointed at Seira, whose eyes widened.

'And you think I'll just let you do that?' Kleinemon's body tensed.

Dracmon grinned at her. 'There's no way you can stop me, you're just a baby.'

Kleinemon bared her teeth in silence and then spoke: 'Even if I am smaller than you, I won't let you do as you please. Because I have to uphold justice!'

As the words left her mouth, she launched herself forward, dodging around the portal, and charged down the alley towards Dracmon. Even as she drew close, the grin on his face didn't falter. Instead, he hopped backwards a few steps out of the alley, and a snarl covered Kleinemon's face.

Eventually, he came to a halt in the middle of the road. Kleinemon's eyes narrowed in resolve, and as she drew close, she drew a deep breath. 'Rauch-'

Dracmon sprung aside, and as Kleinemon landed where he had been standing moments ago, her body was propelled across the road, and hit the wall on the other side. A can then tumbled down, and coated her in bright red paint.

'What-' Seira gaped at Kleinemon's still form, and then turned to Dracmon. 'What did you do to her?'

'It's just oil,' Dracmon shrugged.

'You…' Seira fixed him with a glare.

'So what?' Dracmon asked. 'Do you think you can do better?'

'Just watch me,' gritting her teeth, Seira ran at him with a clenched fist. But as she swung at him, he jumped away again. She threw another punch at him, but he dodged again. This continued a few more times, with the pair moving further down the street from Kleinemon. Frustration spread across Seira's face, and her punches became increasingly sloppy.

Suddenly, Dracmon thrust a hand behind his back, and as he pulled it back, something yellow fell to the ground. Seira glanced down at it, but before she could realise what it was, her body had already slammed into the ground. The Digivice spun from her hand, and stopped a short distance away.

'Damn it…' she muttered, pushing her body up with her arms, but as she did, Dracmon loomed over her.

'Goooot you,' he grinned. 'You're coming with me now!'

He thrust his outstretched hands into her face, revealing an eye in both of his palms. 'Eye of Nightmare!' he yelled.

Numbness flooded Seira's mind, and spread down throughout her body. As the world around her disappeared, her body collapsed back onto the ground.

With a cackle, Dracmon rubbed his hands together. 'Shadowmon-sama will be so pleased with me! I can't wait-' he trailed off as something caught his attention. Seira's Digivice was emitting flashes of light, and its owner's body began to twitch.

Fixing it with a frown, Dracmon strode over to it. 'Don't interrupt me!' he yelled, and kicked it towards Kleinemon.

'Now then,' he hurried back to Seira, who had stopped twitching. 'You look pretty boring. Let's make you pretty for when I take you to Shadowmon-sama. Sit up!'

Seira's arms pushed down again, and she righted herself into a kneeling position. Her expression was devoid of her earlier anger.

Dracmon pulled a marker from behind his back, took off the lid, and began scribbling on Seira's face. 'Done!' he yelled after a few moments. A jumble of swirls, scribbles, thick eyebrows, moustache and huge smiling mouth now covered her face.

'I think it's a big improvement,' he cackled. 'Now come on, let's get back to the Digital World already.'

Standing up, Seira followed him back down the street towards the alley. Kleinemon raised her head as she saw them approach.

'You damned scum,' she hissed. 'I won't let you-' as she spoke, she attempted to stand up, but slipped in the oil and fell back onto her stomach.

'You have fun there!' Dracmon cackled and waved at her as they drew close.

'I said… I won't let you…' Kleinemon panted, and her body appeared to ripple. She reared up on her hind legs again, and her body erupted with light.

'Kleinemon, evolve!'

Dracmon froze, and stared as Kleinemon's body shot upwards, to become almost as tall as Seira. Her hind legs grew longer, and more solid, and claws grew from her feet. Her front legs became arms, and also grew three shorter claws. The wings that hand only been flaps on her back before also became more developed. Her head however remained the same: reptilian, with a long snout, and small horns on her head, just below her streamer-like ears. As her body finished changing, the light burst away from her, revealing her body to be a bold blue colour, except for her front, snout, and the underside of her wings and tail, which remained white.

'Kindramon!' she yelled.

As her transformation finished, Dracmon snapped from his paralysed state. 'Quick! Back this way!' He grabbed Seira's hand and tried to pull her towards the alley. 'Come on, hurry!'

Kindramon cast a dark look in his direction, and then shifted her attention to the oil surrounding her. 'Kleines Feuer!' she shouted, and flames burst from her mouth, catching the oil and spreading across the entire puddle, engulfing it in fire. Even as the flames grew higher than her head, Kindramon stepped out from them, smoke drifting from her skin.

With a glance Dracmon, who hadn't moved very far, she grabbed Seira's Digivice from where it lay, and ran after them. Dracmon gave a strangled shriek, and bolted for the alleyway, leaving Seira where she stood.

As Kindramon reached Seira, she thrust the Digivice at her chest while still running, and then turned back to Dracmon. Crouching down on the ground, she then launched herself into the air, with one leg pointed at Dracmon. 'Kleines Drache Kick!' she yelled as she crashed down onto his back.

Seira blinked and shook her head as the scene before her came into focus. Clutched in her hands was the Digivice, from which a white glow was fading. Before her, a tall creature similar to Kleinemon stood over the crumpled figure of Dracmon.

'What? You…' she stammered, and Kindramon turned to look at her.

'Don't worry,' even her voice had deepened to that of a girl in her early teens. 'This wretch won't cause any more trouble,' she glanced down at Dracmon.

'So you "evolved" again then?' Seira asked her.

'Yes, I am called Kindramon now,' Kindramon told her. 'Though I suppose that device of yours can tell you that too.'

Directing her attention back to the Digivice, Seira pressed the middle button, and the screen filled up with information:

"_Kindramon. Child Level, Vaccine Attribute, Small Dragon Digimon. Its special attacks are Kleines Feuer and Kleines Drache Kick."_

'Damn you scum, get back here!'

Seira looked up to see Dracmon sprinting in the direction of the portal, Kindramon close behind. She hurried after them, but Dracmon was already disappearing into the swirl of colours, shapes and symbols. Kindramon stopped as she reached the portal, scowling at it.

'So are we going back in there?' Seira asked.

'I am, yes,' said Kindramon. 'But you will stay here.'

'What? No! I want to beat him too!' Seira protested.

'He was after you,' Kindramon stated. 'Therefore, it would be better if you stayed here where it is safe. Besides, you'd just get in the way. You're clearly not strong enough to fight him. He easily hypnotised you before, and he'd probably do it again if you came with me.'

Seira gaped at her in silence, as a burning feeling seemed to engulf her mind.

'Thank you for looking out for me earlier,' Kindramon continued, 'but I doubt we will see each other again. And remember to clean your face when you go home. Goodbye then.'

With those words, she stepped into the portal, and vanished from sight.

Seira took a step forward, and froze in place. Her fists clenched, and her teeth gritted. But despite her gaze fixed on the portal, she didn't take another step towards it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes:  
><strong>

Sorry about the delay on this one; I've just started university again, so it'll probably take longer to write new episodes.**  
><strong>

About this episode itself, it's continuing to set up the story in preparation for later events. The plot will be moving more around episode four.

And again, if you like the story, please leave a review. Thank you!

* * *

><p><strong>02: The pair's struggle. Pride is a part of everyone!<strong>

'…So I figured I'd throw my apple at him while he wasn't looking.'

'Kouhei…'

'What? It's not like it hit him. He's a moron anyway. Then the captain came in right after and thought he did it.'

'_Kouhei_…'

The entire family sat around the dining table, conversing as they ate dinner. Haruto was talking to his mother about English studies, while Kouhei was being told off by his father. Seira paid no attention to either conversation, instead focussing her attention into the port cutlet on her plate.

'Seira, would you stop making that face already?'

Seira glanced up to find that her father had finished with Kouhei, and was now giving her a serious look. 'When you're in a bad mood, everyone around you will feel depressed too.'

'I don't care,' Seira stuffed more cutlet into her mouth, while fixing the rice and salad on her plate with a glare.

'The rest of us do care,' her mother also shifted her attention to Seira, while both her brothers watched; Kouhei with a smirk, and Haruto with irritation.

'Just leave me alone,' Seira muttered without looking up.

'This does concern all of us, you know,' her father pointed out.

At his words, Seira's face darkened, and she crammed the rest of her dinner into her mouth. 'Just leave me!' she said, standing up in her seat. 'I'm done.' She left the table and marched in the direction of her room.

'Seira, we're not done talking with you,' stated her mother. In response, Seira slammed her bedroom door shut behind herself. In the safety of her own room, she threw herself face down onto the bed.

"_Besides, you'd just get in the way. You're clearly not strong enough to fight him."_ Kindramon's voice echoed in her head, and something in her chest stung. Her hand clenched into a fist, and swung down at the bed.

'Seira, I'm coming in,' said her mother as the door swung open. She then shut it again, and sat down on the edge of the bed. 'You handled yourself very poorly out there,' she observed. 'Do you know what I mean?'

'Uuuuhhh,' Seira grunted into the bed.

Her mother sighed. 'If you understand, can you tell me what all that was about?'

'No,' Seira propped her chin up on the bed.

'Is this at all related to school?' her mother pressed. 'Or is it your brothers?'

'I said I don't want to talk about it,' Seira rolled onto her side, facing the wall. 'Just go away already.'

'I'm on your side, Seira,' her mother frowned at her back. 'I want to help you sort this out; so at least look at me when I'm talking to you.'

Silence.

'Fine, be that way,' her mother strode to the door, and disappeared behind it.

Seira rolled over to look at the door. 'No you're not,' she muttered.

After a few moments of glaring at the door, she rolled onto her back, and her gaze drifted to one of the lights in the ceiling.

"_You're clearly not strong enough."_

Seira gritted her teeth, as her eyes narrowed in resolve.

The following morning, Seira sat at the table, eating a piece of toast in silence as she watched chaos unfolding around her.

'Haruto, get out of bed now or I'm ringing the school,' their mother's voice echoed from down the hallway.

Haruto mumbled something inaudible in reply, and noise could be heard from his room.

Sticking her head out of the hallway, their mother directed her attention to the TV. 'And you should get moving too,' she said to the boy sitting on the sofa.

Kouhei groaned, and went to get his bag from the dining table. As he headed for the front door, their mother emerged from the hallway, carrying her bag. 'I'll see you later,' she said to Seira, 'and try to get some work done today.'

'Yeah, have a safe trip,' Seira muttered without turning around.

'See you, moron,' Kouhei called out as he followed his mother out the door, and Seira's eyebrows twitched together in a frown.

By the time Seira had finished her breakfast, Haruto wandered from his room, in uniform and carrying his bag. Seira went back down the hallway to her room, but headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth. As she left again, she glanced back down the hallway to see Haruto still at the table. Returning to her room, she shut the door behind herself, and began emptying the contents of her bag onto her desk. As she finished, she heard Haruto call out, followed by the front door slamming shut.

Resolve flashed across her face. She grabbed the empty bag, and her Digivice, which had been sitting on a shelf over her desk, and pocketed it as she headed into the hallway. But instead of going into the main area, she went into her parents' room. Directly opposite the door was a double bed, with a bedside table on either side. Seira headed for the right side, and opened the draw of the bedside table. Paper, tissues, medicine and other clutter filled the front of the draw, but Seira reached towards the back, and felt around for a moment, before pulling out a Swiss Army Knife. As she pushed it into her other pocket, she headed back out to the main area.

In the kitchen, she opened the pantry, and tossed a number of snack foods into her bag. She then opened the fridge, and pulled out a plate of leftover pork cutlet. Within a few minutes, the pork cutlets had been stuffed between slices of bread, and wrapped up in paper. Stuffing the sandwiches into her bag, Seira pulled a set of keys from the front pocket, and headed to the door. 'I'm heading out,' she announced, and then shut the door behind herself.

Clouds still obscured most of the sky, but sunlight continued to poke through them, casting weak light across the street. As Seira approached the alley, she gave the portal a stern look, and walked into it.

Again, the ground disappeared, and a blur of shapes, colours and symbols surrounded her. But instead of going dark, the scene faded away to be replaced by an unfamiliar landscape.

The hillside scattered with trees had been replaced by a flat expanse filled with towering trees, and dense shrubbery. Blue sky could be glimpsed through the canopy above. Aside from a faint hum emitting from the portal, the surrounding area was still.

After regaining her balance, Seira turned to find the portal flickering behind her. She pulled her Digivice from her pocket, and her eyes widened. Three circles, each inside each other were blinking in front of the red dot. She cast a glance at the portal, and then looked up at the surrounding jungle, before stepping forward through the shrubbery, away from the portal.

The plants caught and snapped at her legs, slowing her movements, and causing her to almost fall over. With a dark look, she steadied herself using a tree trunk, and continued moving forward, occasionally glancing at her Digivice. The portal marker was shifting closer to the top of the screen.

Over time, the undergrowth seemed to thin, and the plants and trees became stripped of their leaves. From amidst the shrubbery emerged a trail, and Seira glanced around before heading left. Within a few minutes, a rustling noise intruded into the quiet, and Seira increased her pace, thrusting her right hand around the knife in her pocket. The trail disappeared around a bend, but as Seira reached the bend, puzzlement filled her face at the scene before her.

Four strange creatures – Digimon, Seira figured – were gathered around a cluster of trees. They were bright green, with tails, and stumpy legs and roots in place of feet; and their thick arms sprouted three purple vines. They had to be like vines, because they were extending out from the creatures' arms to pluck berries off the tree, which were held with their other arm. Their most distinct feature however, was that each had a large flower growing on its head. Three of these were deep pink, with a yellow centre, however the fourth one sported a purple flower instead.

At the sign of movement, one of the creatures glanced up and spotted her. 'Aah! A strange Digimon!' it yelled, retracting its vines to point at her.

The other three Digimon looked up in the direction it pointed, and they too retracted their vines, alarm filling their faces. The four of them clustered together, free arms raised, and their gazes fixed on Seira, who tensed where she stood.

'Are you one of Shadowmon's allies?' one of them asked.

At the mention of Shadowmon's name, Seira's demeanour completely changed. 'Why would I be on her side?' she yelled. 'She is _out to get me_. I don't even know what's going on here!'

The Digimon began to mutter amongst themselves, before turning back to her. 'We're sorry then,' said the one who asked the question, but although they lowered their arms, they remained grouped together. 'She has lots of allies in this area, trying to recruit more for her cause.'

'What sort of cause?' Seira asked.

'We don't know,' said the one with the purple flower. 'Just that they're all gathering at the old castle further north from here.'

Seira considered their words for a moment, before she asked, 'Have you seen a Digimon called Kindramon around here then? I'm trying to find her.'

'A Kindramon?' repeated one of the pink flowers. 'They don't usually come out here. I guess they'd want to defeat Shadowmon, but just one of them wouldn't be strong enough…'

'Wait, didn't you hear?' said the one with the purple flower. 'Wormmon said he saw one near the outskirts of the village this morning.'

'Really?'

'Yeah, I heard that too,' said another of them.

'Where is this village then?' Seira asked.

'Back that way,' one of them pointed down the trail.

'Great, thanks!' Seira said, and broke into a run. The Digimon shuffled off to one side as she moved towards them, and stared after her as she disappeared through the trees.

After a few minutes, Seira slowed to a walk, and took out her Digivice again. Only the edge of the outermost ring was still showing on the screen. With a sigh, she re-pocketed it.

Time continued to stretch on, and emptiness began to gnaw at Seira's stomach. She began to pull off her backpack, when something caught her attention. A beeping noise was coming from her pocket. Instead, she pulled her Digivice from her, pocket, and her eyes widened at the sight of an unfamiliar white dot near the bottom of the screen. Increasing her pace again, she charged forward through the jungle with large strides, glancing down at her Digivice to watch the white dot moving closer and closer to the centre. As it came level with the centre dot, but off to the right, Seira stopped for a moment, and looked up at the shrubbery to her left. Without another thought, she pushed her way into it, off of the path.

She continued on, pushing plants out of her way for a few minutes, watching as the white dot drew closer, until the undergrowth parted against the roots of a large tree. Another glance at the radar confirmed that the source of the white dot was there. Since the largest roots were higher than Seira's head, she peered around them, only to find masses of smaller roots twisting towards the ground. But as she reached the other side of the tree, she gave a gasp.

Kindramon was slumped against the trunk, covered in dirt; with her legs drawn up to her body, and her eyes half shut. Her tail stuck out neck to her, but part of her scales near the based appeared to have been scraped away; in their place was a flicker of grey pixels.

'There you are,' Seira exclaimed and crouched down next to her, causing Kindramon's eyes to fly open. 'I've been looking for you for ages.'

'What? Why are you here?' Kindramon shuffled away from her, and fixed her with a frown. 'This place is too dangerous for you!'

'I've come to take you back with me,' Seira stated.

'How could you come here just for that?' Kindramon demanded. 'You could have been killed.'

'I could have been killed yesterday too,' Seira retorted. 'Anyway, if this place is so dangerous, you really should come with me.'

'Are you implying I can't protect myself?' Kindramon snapped.

Hot anger shot through Seira's chest. 'No, I was worried about you,' she snapped back. 'You're hiding behind a tree looking like a mess, _and_ it looks like you're hurt. If you stay here, _you're _the one who'll be killed.'

Kindramon glanced away from her and muttered, 'Then I'd rather die than have someone help me.'

'Don't say that!' Seira yelled at her. 'To let yourself die instead of living on and becoming stronger is pathetic. Now get up, you're coming with me.'

Kindramon stared at her for a moment, before she muttered 'Fine,' and stood up. Seira's expression also relaxed, and she stood up too. 'Here,' she began rummaging in her bag, and pulled out the sandwiches. 'Eat that,' she passed one to Kindramon.

'Thank you,' Kindramon muttered, and pulled the wrapping off the sandwich as Seira did the same. She gave it a pained look, and took a bite. Her expression suddenly changed, and the rest of the sandwich disappeared within seconds.

Seira attempted to conceal a smile, but Kindramon gave her a dark look. 'Okay, just come on then,' she sighed, and started going back in the direction she'd come.

Neither of them spoke again as they headed to the portal. The original trip had seemed to drag on for several hours, but with a definite path ahead of her, and Kindramon in tow, time began to speed up again. The trees, which the flower Digimon had picked berries from, were now abandoned, and devoid of fruit; in fact, the entire jungle seemed still despite Kindramon's warnings of danger. By the time they reached and entered the portal, and then Seira's house, it was already after lunchtime.

'Today's a half-day, so everyone will be home earlier,' Seira stated as she dumped her bag on the table, 'though they'll still have clubs for a few hours. So let's clean you up and to something about that wound.'

'It isn't that serious,' Kindramon folded her arms, 'I can deal with it myself.'

'Yeah yeah, just come on,' Seira put a hand on her shoulder and steered her towards the bathroom.

Leading off from the laundry, the bathroom had an open shower off to one side, with the bathtub along the back wall. As they entered the room, Seira grabbed the shower hose, and began to turn the taps, but Kindramon intervened. 'It's okay, I can do something like this myself,' she said.

'Okay,' with a sigh, Seira handed her the hose. 'Just turn the taps the other way when you're done.' She slid the door open again and disappeared behind it.

Seira pulled a face as she examined the wound on Kindramon's tail. 'This is a really strange wound,' she said. 'What happened?'

The two of them were sitting on Seira's bed with the first-aid kit nearby. 'I was attacked by a Flymon while looking for that Dracmon,' Kindramon said with a scowl at the wall. 'I managed to escape, but I crashed into a log.'

Although Seira didn't know what a Flymon was like, she nodded anyway. 'So you just got it from a log?' she echoed, and Kindramon nodded. 'Then why's it all grey-looking?'

'Because that's how all wounds look…' Kindramon continued to scowl at the wall.

'I guess it's a Digimon thing,' Seira thought aloud. 'Okay, I don't do this much,' she said as she picked up a cloth, 'but I'll do my best.'

From the first-aid kit, she grabbed a bottle marked "disinfectant", unscrewed the top, and poured some into the cloth. She then pressed it against Kindramon's wound.

With a cry, Kindramon leapt from the bed, spun around and fixed her with a glare. 'What do you think you're doing to me?' she yelled. 'Are you trying to make it worse?'

'It's disinfectant!' Seira yelled back at her, 'it always stings. Just sit down again.'

'Is it really supposed to help?' Kindramon asked.

'Yeah, otherwise the wound will get worse and make you sick.'

With an awkward glance at the floor, Kindramon sat down again. 'Fine, just let me do it then,' she muttered.

'Okay, okay,' Seira rolled her eyes, and handed the cloth over.

When the wound was finally bandaged, Seira gave a sigh. 'I'm glad that's done,' she said, shutting the first-aid kit. 'Is there anything else you need?'

'I'm alright, thank you,' Kindramon stood up. 'I suppose you want me to stay here for now?'

'Of course,' Seira agreed. 'You're hurt, so you should rest for now.'

Kindramon sighed. 'You are right; I was on guard against attack for most of the night.'

'I can get you some blankets then,' Seira jumped off the bed and hurried to the door.

'No, don't worry about it,' Kindramon said as she sat on the floor. 'Here is fine.'

'At least lie on my bed,' Seira frowned.

'No, it is your bed, so you should be the one to use it,' Kindramon stated, and shut her eyes.

Seira gave her an agonised look, and opened and shut her mouth a few times before leaving the room.

After a few hours had passed, Seira's mother and brothers began to arrive home, forcing her back into her room. Whenever voices passed close to her door, Seira glanced up from her desk with an uneasy look. At one point, her mother tried to come in, forcing Seira to usher her back out into the hallway, and hold a hasty conversation there. Her mother returned to the main area with a frown covering her face. It was only when Kouhei yelled that dinner was ready that she emerged from her room again.

As they sat down for dinner, a scene similar to the previous night began to occur.

'So Haruto, how is your studying doing?' asked their father, who had recently come home from work.

'Just the same,' Haruto answered between mouthfuls.

'I see… do you want to explain more than that?' he asked.

With a half-frown on her face, Seira made stabbing motions at her spaghetti.

'There isn't much to say about it. We're still working on English, and that's about it,' Haruto stated.

'I'm surprised he's even still standing from how much he studies,' Kouhei muttered.

'Really? I think you could learn a bit from him,' said their mother.

'What could I possibly learn from him?' Kouhei rolled his eyes dramatically.

There was a brief silence, when Haruto muttered, 'Effort.'

'I don't know what you're talking about,' said Kouhei. 'I'm a very hard-working person.'

'He is right Kouhei,' said their mother. 'You do need to consider your studies more if you want to get into a good university.'

'Who cares about university, I'd rather just keep playing basketball,' Kouhei said.

'Kouhei…' his mother began.

'Hey, if Kouhei wants to do basketball, shouldn't he be allowed to do that?' asked his father. 'There's no use drowning yourself in more study if that's not what you want in life.'

'Thanks Dad!' said Kouhei, even as his mother made threatening gestures towards his father.

Seira glanced up that them with a glare, and began shovelling spaghetti into her mouth.

'It's quite alright,' said their father, 'just let me know if you need any help with the upcoming season; I remember it was pretty rough back when I was in high school.'

'Dad, they already won all these matches last year,' said Haruto. 'Besides, Kouhei-niisan has a thick head.'

'Well he won't get hurt that easily then if he gets hit in the head!' their father joked.

'Thanks a lot Dad…' the smile slid off Kouhei's face.

'It's true,' their father said, 'I got hit in the head once myself during practice and had to go to the nurse's office.'

'That is ridiculous,' Haruto muttered.

'I suppose; I wouldn't trade it for anything,' their father admitted. 'Basketball is a fine sport.'

At that moment, Siera's hands clenched around the edge of the table. 'Ask me what I've been doing!' she burst out.

For a moment, everyone stared at her, until her father said, 'Okay, what have you been doing Seira?'

Seira opened her mouth to answer, but before she could speak, Kouhei said, 'Nothing, because soccer's been cancelled!'

'It's back on tomorrow!' Seira yelled at him.

'I hope you're taking this opportunity to catch up on your studies,' said their mother. 'Remember, even if I'm too busy, I'm sure Haruto could give you some help.'

In a single motion, Seira stood up, causing her chair to scrape against the floor. 'I'm done,' she muttered, as she spooned more spaghetti from the pot into her bowl. 'I'm having this in my room.' Dropping the ladle back into the pot, she swept off down the main hallway, and moments later, a door slammed shut.

'What is her problem?' Kouhei wondered, as his mother sighed.

Kindramon glanced up as Seira appeared from behind the door, but frowned at the slamming noise. 'What was that about?' she asked.

'They're a bunch of idiots who don't know anything!' Seira clanged the bowl down onto her desk, and threw herself into the chair.

'Strange,' Kindramon mused, 'even though you live in the same house together?'

'Doesn't mean I have to like them,' Seira grumbled, as her gaze shifted to the bowl of spaghetti. 'Here,' she stood up and passed it to Kindramon. 'Your dinner.'

'Are you sure this is okay?' Kindramon glanced from the spaghetti to her.

'Of course it is,' Seira folded her arms. 'You are a guest here.'

With another pained look at the spaghetti, Kindramon grasped the fork with her three fingers, and scooped some of it into her mouth. Again, her eyes widened, and the tentativeness in her actions disappeared. The bowl was empty again within a few minutes.

'I guess you liked it then, huh?' Seira asked as she finished.

'It was very good,' Kindramon admitted, yet lowered her gaze.

'Hey, you're not still worried about staying here, are you?' Seira frowned.

'Of course I am,' Kindramon retorted. 'It goes against my pride as a Digimon. But it's the same for all Kindramon. We fight to protect order in the Digital World, therefore for us to depend on another is shaming to us.'

Seira made a bitter face at her, prompting her to ask, 'What? Does it bother you that much?'

'"Your pride as a Digimon"?' Seira echoed. 'Do you have any idea how I felt yesterday? I tried to look out for you, I gave you food, I tried to help you against Dracmon, and then you said I was useless. I felt so angry. Even if I can't shoot fire or whatever, I have pride too.'

'I… see,' said Kindramon. 'I never considered that… sorry.' Her voice trailed off as she glanced away with uncertainty.

'You should remember that,' Seira continued, 'I don't think you'll get far protecting much if you treat others like that.'

Kindramon tensed, as her eyes snapped back to Seira. 'I understand that,' she said with a forced tone, 'I will consider it.'

With a sigh, Seira turned back to her desk. As silence filled the room, she began to fiddle with a pencil, while her mind drifted away to the events of the past two days. Curiosity formed in her mind.

'Kindramon?'

'What is it?' some hesitation remained in her voice.

'Do you know anything about Shadowmon?'

'Shadowmon? They're a strange species. Because they keep their thoughts to themselves, it's hard to know what their intentions are,' Kindramon told her. 'That Dracmon mentioned something about a Shadowmon too; did something happen?'

Seira explained to her about herself and Akito, meeting Shadowmon, and finding her Digitama in the garden of eggs, as well as what the flower Digimon had told her.

'It seems something evil is being planned,' Kindramon thought aloud. 'We should investigate this castle as soon as possible; do you know how to contact that boy?'

'We only just met then,' said Seira.

'That is a shame,' Kindramon said. 'I hope you can find him again, but unless that happens, we cannot rely on his help. It is possible though that the local Digimon may help us if they feel the same way.'

'I passed a village when I was looking for you,' Seira said, 'and I spoke to some other Digimon too, but they seemed scared more than anything.'

'A typical reaction,' Kindramon sighed.

Footsteps approached from up the hallway, and there was a knock on the door. 'Seira? I'd like to talk with you,' came her mother's voice.

'N-not right now!' Seira jumped in her seat. 'I'm studying!'

'Please work hard on it, then,' although her mother sounded uncertain, her footsteps retreated back down the hallway.

'Ugh, that was too close…' Seira groaned.

'Like I said yesterday, it really would be much easier if you just introduced me to them,' Kindramon advised. 'What we're doing is rude to them, you know.'

'Yeah, but you're way bigger now than yesterday,' Seira objected. 'If they saw you now, there's no way it'd go well.'

They continued to argue about hiding Kindramon, until the subject shifted back onto the events of the past two days. It was only when Seira's parents came to check why she was still awake that they went to bed themselves.

To avoid having anyone discover her in the morning, it was decided that Kindramon would spend the night in Seira's walk-in wardrobe. At least, that was the intention.

Even as she slept, a familiar prickling filled Kindramon's chest, forcing her eyes open. Pushing the door open, she made her way to the bedroom door. But as she began to pull the door open, Seira sat up in bed.

'Where are you going?' she asked.

'I didn't want to wake you,' said Kindramon, 'but there's another hostile Digimon outside.'

'That Dracmon guy again?' Seira swung her feet over the side of the bed.

'I'm not sure,' Kindramon answered, 'but whoever it is, they need to be dealt with immediately.'

'Right,' Seira stood up, and headed to her desk. 'Just let me get the knife…' with one hand, she pushed her goggles down around her neck, and with the other began rummaging in her schoolbag.

'No, it's too dangerous for you to be involved.'

'Hey, there's no way I'm letting myself get caught again,' Seira protested as she pulled out the knife. 'I have pride as a person, too.'

Kindramon hesitated for a moment, and then said, 'Very well. We should go to that open space next to the table; it looks like you can get a good view of below from there.'

'You mean the balcony?' Seira asked. 'Yeah, that's a good idea.'

Chill air billowed around them as Seira slid open the door separating the rest of the house from the balcony. As she stepped out onto the cold pavement, she winced at the feeling, yet peered over the ledge into the street regardless. The moon gleaming amidst the clouds, combined with the lampposts lining the street cast a faint light against the darkness, revealing a small figure creeping towards the building.

'Him again,' Kindramon narrowed her eyes. 'I'll definitely get him this time.'

Grasping the railing with both hands, to Seira's horror, she hoisted herself over it and positioned her feet along the outside wall. Her eyes remained fixed on the figure below.

'Wha- you're not…' Seira stammered at her.

Kindramon glanced over at her with an unreadable look, and then launched herself off of the balcony. As she hurtled through the air, her eyes narrowed in concentration. Then, once the street and its occupant loomed towards her, she gave a cry:

'Kleines Drache Kick!'

With a cry, her victim crumpled underneath her weight. As she landed, Seira snapped back to reality, and with a muttering of 'damn it', rushed back into the house.

Springing away from her victim, Kindramon assumed a stance. Dracmon picked himself up off the ground, and waved his arms at her.

'Hey! Why'd you do that? That wasn't fair; it really hurt!'

'Payback for yesterday,' Kindramon stated.

'I'll make you pay for embarrassing me in front of Shadowmon-sama!' he yelled back. 'I'm going to show that Hanumon I'm way better than him.'

'You're just babbling,' said Kindramon.

'Nu-uh, I came prepared again,' a familiar grin spread across Dracmon's face, and he pulled something from behind his back. 'Take this!'

He hurled the item at the ground between them, and as it landed, smoke billowed upwards, concealing him from view.

'You wretch!' Kindramon yelled as she whirled around, searching for him. 'Only a true coward would cheat in order to win!'

Without a response to her accusations, she remained thrashing amidst the blindness. As the silence lengthened, her movements became more desperate, and worry began to show in her face. But when Dracmon spoke again, it caused her insides to freeze.

'Undead Bite!'

Fangs sank in to Kindramon's neck, as a pair of hands held down her arms. With a scream, she began thrashing around even more violently than before, but with her arms bound and pain spreading through her body, there was little else she could think of.

At that moment, alarm jolted her body. Dracmon's outstretched hand entered her vision, the eyeball beginning to glow.

And as a cry came from behind her, the eyeball was replaced by a protruding red hilt, with grey pixels coursing from around it.

As a scream erupted from his mouth, Dracmon pulled his fangs out of Kindramon, and dropped to the ground while he pulled the knife from his hand. 'My eye!' he shrieked. 'My eyeeee!'

'It's what you deserve after everything you've done,' Kindramon glared at his collapsed form. 'Kleines Feuer!'

Flames spewed from her mouth to engulf him, and he screamed even louder than before, until his whole body dissolved into pixels, and dispersed into the air along with the fire. All that remained of Dracmon was his scream echoing throughout the street.

'Are you alright?' at the sound of her voice, Kindramon turned face Seira, who remained silhouetted by the smoke.

'It isn't that bad,' Kindramon said as she touched the wound on her neck, and sighed. 'But for me to be helped by you again is…'

'Consider it payback after yesterday,' Seira said as she picked up the knife from where it lay.

'But you're already letting me stay in your house as well as providing food!'

'Hmm, then it's payback for next time,' Seira decided.

'Next time…?'

'Yeah, if they're after me, there'll probably be more,' Seira headed past her to the building's entrance. 'Now come on, we need to look at your neck, and then go back to bed.'

Kindramon gave a sigh as she walked over to Seira. Away from the smoke, she could see Seira was wearing the goggles over her eyes.

'I thought you were kind of cool actually,' Seira said.

'Really?'

'Yeah. Just next time, don't jump off the balcony; I freaked out when you did that,' Seira made a face.

'I… see,' Kindramon gave her a puzzled look, causing her to stifle laughter.

'Hey…'

'Okay, okay, let's get back upstairs before someone comes to investigate the yelling,' before Kindramon could say anything else to her, Seira hurried into the building.

Seira's parents had gotten up to investigate the noise, and it was only once they left the balcony, still talking, that Seira and Kindramon could come inside. With Kindramon's bite also needing treatment, it was a while before the two of them could go back to bed.

'Night, Kindramon,' Seira said as she pulled the covers back over herself.

'Goodnight,' Kindramon's voice was muffled by the wardrobe door.

With the attack fresh in her mind, and her body still tense, it was a while before Seira could fall asleep again. But even after she did, Kindramon still sat awake against the wardrobe wall, her own thoughts dwelling on other events of the day.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes:  
><strong>

I'm sorry it's taken a while to get this episode up, but I've been dealing with some health problems IRL recently. I also have university to manage, so future episodes will probably be slower for a while. I'd like to be able to write this more quickly, but that just isn't possible right now.

About the story though, this will be the last "introductory" episode before the plot starts moving more next episode. The first climax should be around episode 9 unless something changes.

After this episode, the timeline may be getting confusing too, so to give you an idea:  
>Friday: Episode 1<br>Saturday: Episode 2 + half of episode 3  
>Sunday: Remainder of episode 3, including Seira's segment<br>Episodes 4 and 5 will take place on the same Sunday.

Finally, I hope you enjoy the episode, and please review if you like it/think it could be improved!

* * *

><p><strong>03 – Uproar! Arrival of the trouble-making Digimon!<strong>

It was a Saturday when Seira went back to the Digital World to find Kindramon. But it wasn't until later that they found out other events were taking place at the same time.

Just from a glance at the room, it seemed much of the furniture was covered in books. The desk shelves were packed, with extra books stuffed in on top. A bookcase near the door was also at the point of overflowing. The TV display unit, complete with small TV, instead had games protruding from its shelves, but a few books remained bunched together in their midst. Next to the bookshelf, the chest of drawers was instead topped by an array of figures, chiefly warriors and monsters.

Light filtered into the room from the small window above the display unit, as the occupant of the bed got up, replaced the cover, and approached the chest of drawers. He was a boy around the age of eleven, but his longish black hair and slender build gave him a more feminine appearance. Within a few minutes, he had dressed into a t-shirt and pair of jeans, and finished by pulling on a dark blue hoodie. He then folded up his pyjamas and put them in the drawer, before walking out of the room.

As he entered the main part of the house, a large grey cat eyed him from the sofa. With a glance at the cat, the boy walked past the TV and sofa to the kitchen in the far corner of the area. On the bench lay a note, along with a few coins. At the sight of them, the boy's expression became downcast, but he picked up the note anyway.

"_Good morning, Mikado-kun! I'm so sorry about this, but can you please go down to the shops and get some stuff for dinner tonight? I've been asked to do another late shift, so I won't be home until late. Again, I'm really sorry; I'll definitely make an amazing dinner to make up for it! Love, Mum."_

Below the message a short list of items, mostly vegetables, was also included.

With a sigh, Mikado pocketed the note and coins, and headed into the kitchen.

From their apartment building, it was only a few minutes' walk to a nearby shopping mall. Clothing, electronics, household goods, gifts and other assorted products filled the windows, but Mikado ignored them all, until he reached a game store. The windows were plastered with vivid posters of a new game, due for release the following day. Mikado looked at the posters for a minute, and then turned a corner, heading towards the supermarket.

It only took a few minutes to get all the items on the list. Instead of going back the way he came, Mikado headed through to the other end of the mall, which was bordered by a clothing store on one side, and a fast food place on the other. Mikado walked past the clothing store and after waiting at the traffic lights, crossed the road, and headed towards the left. Sandwiched between the buildings was an undercover area, lined by curving sculptures, and interspaced by benches. Off to the left of the area was a small park, and beyond there, the apartments where he lived. It was a short and easy walk, free of any obstructions. Mikado headed towards the undercover area, but as he drew close, he walked into one of them.

The surrounding area vanished into a blur of colours, shapes and symbols, as buzzing and beeping noises echoed around with no apparent source. His previous impassive expression breaking into alarm, Mikado spun around, looking at his surroundings, even as they went black, before promptly reappearing. He flung out a hand, while trying to shuffle backwards, but neither hand any effect as he was pulled forward through the space. As he clenched his teeth together, the space dissolved into a grassy hillside, and as his feet landed on the ground, he stumbled forward, and fell onto his hands, the groceries falling with him.

With a groan, he shifted into a sitting position, and rubbed at his reddened hands. At that moment, he noticed something lying on the ground on the edge of his vision, and turned to look at it. It was a white rectangular device, with curved edges, featuring a small screen in the middle, within a black circle. Surrounding the circle was a blue ring, with wave-like shapes reaching towards either end. Below the screen were three triangular buttons, also in white.

Fixing the object with a frown, he reached to pick it up, but as he touched it, the screen lit up, and he jerked his hand away again. An unfamiliar symbol, like two overlapped crescent moons appeared on the screen, but was soon replaced by the words, _"Welcome to Digivice ver 2.0 – D-Core." _

After staring at it for a while longer, Mikado reached towards it again, and gave it a prod. The text disappeared from the screen, but nothing else happened. He hesitated for a moment longer, but finally picked it up and gave it a closer look. Obviously, it was called a "Digivice", but the term was unfamiliar to Mikado. It looked like some sort of toy, or video game gimmick. He looked around at his surroundings, but anything nearby was concealed by a mist that seemed to cling to the whole area. After pocketing the device and taking a look at the groceries, he picked up the bag, and began walking down the slope.

Trees occasionally reared out of the mist, but other than those, the hillside appeared empty. A few minutes had passed, when the mist ahead seemed to grow darker, and Mikado soon found himself facing a stone wall, that extended much higher than his head. With a puzzled look, he began to follow the wall, but it too stretched onwards beyond view, with no change in the scenery surrounding it. Finally, Mikado set the groceries down, and leaned against the wall, a frown covering his face. He remained there for a few minutes, staring off into the fog, until, with a sigh, he picked up the groceries again, and began walking away from the wall.

Within a few minutes, the ground grew steeper again, and Mikado found himself breathing harder.

As his steps slowed, and the bag made his arm ache, another barrier appeared out of the mist, but instead of being stone, it was a hedge formed of entangled vines.

Dropping the bag on the ground again, Mikado gave the hedge a scowl. But it was quickly replaced by alarm, as the space in front of him seemed to shift, and a gate appeared amidst the vines.

Mikado took a couple of steps back, and fixed the gate with a stare. It would have appeared to be an average gate, if it hadn't just appeared from nothingness. Yet the very area the gate and the hedge existed in was bizarre in itself. With that thought in mind, Mikado stepped forward again, and pushed the gate open, picking up the groceries again as he did so.

The area beyond the hedge appeared to be a garden, with trees and flower-bearing shrubbery scattered everywhere. But clustered beneath the foliage were numerous large eggs, all sporting vivid colours with a variety of patterns. The thick mist of outside had dissolved into fragments trailing along the ground, revealing a large stone building between the trees.

Mikado stared at the scene before him, and then crouched down to look at an egg near the gate. The bright yellow surface covered in purple stars jarred with the plant life surrounding it; appearing more like some human creation than anything natural. Standing up again, he glanced around at some of the other eggs, before looking up at the building. He began making his way towards it, but after a few moments, came to a halt again. Off to his left was another group of trees, surrounded by eggs, and amongst them was one covered in a mottled gold and brown pattern. Its softer colours made it more appealing than any of the others, yet Mikado hadn't even seen it until he turned to look. Instead of continuing on towards the building, he walked over to the trees where the mottled egg lay, and crouched down in front of it. For a moment, he just looked at it, but then raised a hand towards it, then jerked it away again. He continued to give it an intent look, when suddenly it tipped forwards and bumped into his leg, causing him to fall over backwards.

The scene dissolved into the swirling space, and after everything grew dark, and flashed back again, it faded away into the statue-lined undercover area.

Mikado gaped at his transformed surroundings, before he noticed the egg again from the corner of his eye. He jumped up, and backed away a few steps, giving it an alarmed look. With another glance around, he snatched up the egg, and dashed for the far side of the area.

From the undercover area, some steps led down into a small park. Mikado dropped the egg by a tree, and then hurried through another nearby walkway between two buildings. As he entered the walkway, the egg rolled into the tree, and broke apart into a small white shape. Dark eyes focussed on Mikado's retreating form, and the creature began bouncing after him.

Mikado hurried across the street, which was lined with various shops; cafes, boutiques and the like, down below, while the balconies of people's apartments loomed above them. He entered a corridor between two of the shops, where an elevator door stood closed, and pushed the button several times. As he waited for it to arrive, the creature bounced up from the road, and onto the pavement.

Once the lift arrived, Mikado stepped in and pushed a button, and the creature bounced in after him. As the doors shut, and the lift began to rise, Mikado gave a sigh, and the creature glanced up at him. Within several seconds, the lift stopped moving, and the doors slid open. Mikado stepped out into the hallway; the creature just behind him, and approached a nearby door that had a plate reading "HAYASHI" fixed to it. Pulling a key from his pocket, he unlocked the door and headed inside, muttering "I'm home" as he did. He then shut the door again, and began to sit down to take his shoes off. Only then did he notice the blob-like creature staring up at him.

With a cry, he stumbled against the edge of the foyer, and fell over backwards again. The creature took a hop towards him, and his whole body grew rigid, alarm flooding his face. He grabbed a shoe and yanked at it; it came off after a moment and he tossed it towards the creature. Without looking at the results, he began pulling at the other one, and after tossing that at the creature as well, staggered to his feet, and shuffled away without turning his back on it.

The creature watched as the other shoe hit the door and landed near the other one, and then bounced up from the shoe foyer and towards Mikado, whose face shifted into panic. He bolted for the hallway, and banging noises filled the air for a few moments, followed by hurried footsteps. When Mikado appeared around the corner again, he was clutching a mop; face frozen in a grimace. Reaching across the foyer, he opened the door again. And clenching both hands around the mop, he lowered it to the floor and pushed it against the creature, sliding it towards the door.

With a squeak, the creature tried to bounce away, but the mop barred its movement, pushing it closer and closer to the door. Its squeaking became shriller, and its body puffed up. Then its mouth opened slightly, and a chill blast coated the mop head, as well as Mikado's feet, in icy fragments.

Mikado glanced in horror between the creature and the ice-covered mop head, aware of the stinging radiating from his feet. He dashed away towards the hallway again, only stopping as he reached the bathroom. Throwing the shower door open, he tossed the mop inside, and hurried back out to the main area.

Alarm filled his face again at the sight of the creature peering at the bag of groceries. Charging into the open, he snatched up the bag, and backed away into the kitchen. The creature began bouncing towards him again, but then stopped for a moment, and instead bounced around to the other side of the kitchen bench. Mikado peered over the ledge in time to see the creature lean over the cat's food bowl, and take a bite from the tinned meat. Its face appeared to scrunch up, but it still leant over to take another bite. Mikado's eyes remained frozen on it; watching as the creature halved the bowl's contents, and then turned to the water bowl and began emptying its contents.

As it finished with the water, it looked up at Mikado, when its face scrunched up again, and its body was covered in light.

Mikado stumbled back towards the wall, eyes darting between the bench and the direction of the door. With a pained look, he took a couple of steps towards the door.

'Hey, why do you keep running away from me?'

Mikado froze at the sound of a voice, and moments later, a different-looking creature hopped from behind the bench.

Despite the changes in its appearance, it had to be the same creature. It was still small and blob-like, but the white had changed to gold, the round ears pointed and cat-like, and a tail with purple stripes and tip protruded from behind.

'Say something,' it insisted. Its voice resembled that of a young boy.

'Because you're a… _thing_,' Mikado muttered.

'I'm not a thing,' said the creature. 'I'm Nyaromon. What's your name? You don't look like any Digimon I know.' As he spoke, he bounced into the air a few times.

'I'm Mikado,' Mikado muttered without looking at him.

'Mikado… mon?' Nyaromon stopped bouncing, and cocked his head to one side. 'Is that a new species?'

'I'm a _human_,' Mikado said through gritted teeth.

Nyaromon's eyes widened, as he stared at Mikado like some rare specimen. 'Really? That's so cool! What's it like?' To Mikado's alarm, he bounced closer.

'What's… what like?' Mikado gave him an awkward look.

'Being a human,' Nyaromon beamed.

Mikado gaped at him for a moment, and then said, 'Never mind that. What are you? What is that place you came from? And what is this thing?' he pulled the Digivice from his pocket and brandished it, upon which the words "_First Runtime Wizard_" appeared on the screen, followed by a bunch of data about Nyaromon.

'Well… I'm a Digimon, we live in the Digital World, and I don't know what that thing is,' Nyaromon smiled.

His face shifting into a grimace, Mikado turned away and sighed. 'Well… why can't you go back there, then?'

'Ehhh… I don't want to,' Nyaromon's smile collapsed into a pout.

'Why not?'

'It's more interesting here. You never find humans in the Digital World.'

Mikado was about to speak when the sight of Nyaromon blowing ice over the mop flashed through his mind. 'Do what you want then,' he strode past, hurrying for the hallway.

'Ah, wait!' Nyaromon bounced after him.

Sometime later, Mikado sat at his desk, glaring at an open textbook as Nyaromon bounced up and down on his bed, squealing as he did.

'This is so much fun Mikadomon; you should do it too!'

'I told you, it's _Mikado_,' Mikado spun around, and fixed his glare on Nyaromon.

Nyaromon fell back onto the bed, and his ears sagged against his head. 'Okay…'

Mikado sighed as he turned back to his textbook. Silence filled the room again, when soon after it was broken by Nyaromon's voice.

'Hey Mikado? Are those things Digimon too?'

'What?' Mikado dropped his pencil and turned to look in the direction Nyaromon was facing: the figures on the TV display unit.

'They're not even alive…' he gave a disbelieving look.

'They look so real though…' Nyaromon continued to stare at them.

'Just don't go trying to touch them,' Mikado muttered as he turned back to his desk.

Nyaromon continued moving around the room, asking questions about anything that caught his attention, even as Mikado's mood continued to worsen. When he finally jumped onto the desk to see what Mikado was doing, Mikado shot away his chair, leaving Nyaromon to sulk on the bed again. After some more time had passed, Mikado cast a wary glance over his shoulder, to find Nyaromon had fallen asleep. With a worn look, he turned back to his desk.

The rest of the day followed in a similar fashion, until evening arrived. Mikado was reading a book, while Nyaromon took another nap on his bed, when the sound of a door opening came from outside, and a woman's voice called out, 'I'm home, Mikado-kun, Tarou-chan!'

'Huh? What was that?' Nyaromon's eyes blinked open, and he glanced towards the door.

'Stay here,' Mikado dropped the book as he jumped from his chair, and then hurried to the door, and shut it behind him.

A woman around her late 20s was crouched down near the front door, fussing over the cat. A large bag sat on the kitchen counter. 'Tarou-chan, did you really miss me?' she asked the cat, stroking his body with one hand, and scratching his chin with the other. 'Even though you've had Mikado-kun with you? There, there, I'm here now. Are you hungry? I'll get you some food.'

As she stood up, Mikado emerged from the hallway. 'Welcome back,' he said.

'Thank you, Mikado-kun!' His mother smiled as she pulled a tin of cat food from the pantry, even as Tarou circled around her feet. 'I'm sorry my work schedule is so messy, it must be hard for you.'

'At least it's a job,' Mikado told her, 'so don't worry about it.'

'I guess you're right,' heading to the other side of the bench, she crouched down and opened the tin of cat food into Tarou's bowl. As she did, Tarou hurried up from behind her and began gulping it down. 'So how was your day today? Have you been enjoying that game?' She asked as she stood up again.

'It's out tomorrow,' Mikado rolled his eyes as she watched Tarou eat.

'Oh, I'm sorry!' she said with an awkward smile. 'I hope you found something to do; I know you've been wanting it for ages.'

'Yeah, I've just been studying.'

'Ah, well please let me know if you need help,' she smiled. 'I'm going to get changed; then I'll start on dinner as soon as I'm done. I bet you're hungry by now!'

'Yeah…' Mikado watched with apprehension as she headed down the hallway. Grabbing a knife and board, he began to chop up a bunch of spring onions as he waited, glancing up at the hallway every few chops. When his mother returned, still with the same smile, he gave an inward sigh.

Back in Mikado's room, Nyaromon had jumped onto the desk, and sat in front of the textbook. The cover read "Grade 5 Mathematics", yet Nyaromon stared at it with a confused, yet intent look.

As Mikado ate dinner, his thoughts drifted back to the occupant of his room, leaving his gaze fixed on his bowl.

'Is there anything bothering you?' came his mother's voice.

'What? No,' he glanced up at her in surprise. 'Nothing's wrong.'

'Remember, if you do need to talk about anything, I'll always listen to you,' she told him. 'I am your Mum.'

'Yeah,' his gaze dropped back to the bowl as he continued eating.

With the attractions of Mikado's room exhausted, Nyaromon had returned to the bed to cast another sulky expression at the floor.

While his mother took care of the dishes, Mikado prepared the bath. As he left it filling, he tried to sneak back into his room for his pyjamas. Nyaromon jumped awake at the sound, and Mikado left him sulking against the door again as he hurried back to the bathroom. As he sat down in the bath, he gave a sigh. The bathroom was completely still, and free of the chaos that had taken hold elsewhere in the house. Unease filled his insides at the thought of going back there.

Although Mikado lingered in the bath for quite a while, he was aware that returning to his room couldn't be avoided. As he opened his bedroom door enough to see through with one eye, Nyaromon glanced up from his position on the bed.

'You're finally back!' he yelled, jumping down and bouncing towards the door.

'H-hey, let me come in first,' Mikado said as he opened it enough to get in, and then shut it behind him. 'And don't be so loud, it'd be bad if my Mother found out about you.'

'What's a mother?' Nyaromon asked him.

'What? You… don't know what a mother is?' Mikado gaped at him.

'No, I've never heard of it.'

'A mother's… supposed to take care of you, until you grow up,' Mikado said.

'Oh, so they're like the caretakers at the Village of Beginnings then?' Nyaromon asked.

'I don't know…' Mikado recalled the garden of eggs, and wondered if it was related to this Village.

Nyaromon cocked his head to one side again. 'You humans are strange; why aren't you the same as Digimon?'

'_You're the strange one,'_ Mikado thought, but instead said, 'I don't know that either…'

'Then what do you know?'

'You…' Mikado groaned, and covered his face with his free hand.

'Are you okay Mikado?'

'Yeah, yeah…' Mikado removed his hand from his face, and headed over to the chest of drawers. After opening one draw, he folded up his hoodie and put it in.

'Mikado, do you have any other food?'

'What, are you hungry again?' Mikado shut the drawer and looked down at him.

'Yes!' Nyaromon grinned. 'That stuff earlier was pretty yucky though, is there anything else?'

Mikado groaned in response.

A scowl covered Mikado's face again as he shut his bedroom door. Nyaromon's presence in his room had dragged out the night into a painful affair. Despite Mikado's protests, and attempts to toss him out, he was determined to sleep in the bed. Eventually, Mikado had given up, and remained lying at an awkward angle while Nyaromon kept trying to burrow into his back.

Mikado's mother stood at the stove, mixing a bunch of last night's dinner ingredients into an omelette. 'Good morning, Mikado-kun!' she said as he approached. 'Did you sleep alright?'

'Yeah,' glancing away from her, he opened the pantry, and pulled out a couple of tins of cat food. 'I'm going to feed Tarou,' he announced.

'Thank you, Mikado-kun,' she smiled. 'Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes too.'

'Okay,' Mikado emptied one tin into Tarou's bowl, threw it into the bin with the two lids, and then headed back to his room with the second one.

'Here,' he placed the tin on the floor in front of a bewildered Nyaromon. 'Eat that. I'll be back soon,' he headed back out of the room, and shut the door behind him.

As he returned to the kitchen, his mother was spooning the omelette onto two plates. 'Did you want toast, Mikado-kun?' she asked.

'Yeah.'

'Okay, I'll quickly make some now, please wait a minute,' she said as she opened a lower cupboard and pulled out a toaster.

'I can do that,' Mikado walked over to her. 'You go eat.'

'Thank you, Mikado-kun, I'm sorry to trouble you with this.'

'Don't worry about it,' Mikado waved her off. 'Do you want any?'

'Oh, yes please! Just one piece, though.'

As his mother headed over to the TV with her breakfast, Mikado moved his omelette over to the other bench, and then plugged the toaster into a power board near the stove. With his back turned to the hallway, his didn't see a golden blob bounce across the floor to the other bench.

Once Mikado finished toasting a few pieces of bread, he turned around, and froze, mouth falling open. Nyaromon sat on the bench, tipping Mikado's plate onto an angle, as he gulped down mouthfuls of omelette.

Mikado raised a hand at him, garbled words spilling from his mouth as he took a few steps towards the bench. Nyaromon glanced up at the noise, and bounced down from the bench, leaving the plate to clatter back down onto the bench top. Swiping Nyaromon from the floor and giving him a glare, Mikado bolted down the hallway to his room, threw Nyaromon inside, and then hurried back to the kitchen.

'Is anything wrong, Mikado-kun?' his mother asked, glancing up from the TV.

'No, it's alright,' Mikado assured her.

As she turned back to the TV however, Mikado's face grew serious, and he grabbed the plate, scraping the part of omelette Nyaromon had been eating into the bin. Then after grabbing the plate of toast again, he headed over to the TV.

'Here's the toast,' he said, holding out the plate to his mother.

'Thank you, Mikado-kun!' she said, picking up a slice, and taking a bite from it.

Sitting down next to her, Mikado put the plate of toast on the table, and began eating what remained of his omelette.

Nyaromon puffed up his checks and frowned as Mikado returned to the room. Returning the frown, Mikado spoke first: 'What did you think you were doing out there? Stealing my breakfast!'

'Because I already told you I hate that stuff!' Nyaromon yelled, and flicked his tail at the tin, which lay overturned against the TV display unit.

'You kept taking up half the bed last night!'

'It was cold and I wanted to be with you!'

Mikado's frown shifted into uncertainty, and he turned away. 'Fine, I won't give you cat food again,' he said. 'So don't steal my food again.'

'Okay,' Nyaromon agreed. 'But if you do it anyway, I'm eating all your food next time!'

'Okay, okay,' Mikado sighed, and headed to the overturned tin. 'Let me clean this up, and then… we're going out for a bit.'

Peering around the flap of the bag, Nyaromon stared at the shops, and people, drifting past his field of vision. Sometimes he'd give a gasp or cry at his sightings, causing Mikado to glance around. 'Stop that,' he muttered, 'People are looking.' An older woman had turned from looking in a shop window to stare at him.

'But this is so cool, there are humans everywhere!' Nyaromon said.

'I know there are, that's why you need to be quiet.'

'You're boring, Mikado…'

The two of them were in the shopping mall Mikado had passed through to get groceries the previous day. Mikado was wearing a messenger bag across his body, which served little purpose other than to conceal Nyaromon. However instead heading in the direction of the supermarket, Mikado stopped at the game shop, which was crowded with people.

'Now remember,' his eyes didn't leave the crowd in the shop. 'You're supposed to be totally still while I'm in there. I'll buy you something afterwards. Okay?'

'Okay!' Nyaromon's voice was muffled by the bag.

With a tense look at the store, Mikado headed inside, and was engulfed by the throng.

Waiting amidst the masses clogging the store was an infuriating exercise, but glancing down at the game in his hands, Mikado felt the task was worth it. After leaving the shop, he had taken Nyaromon to the café at the far end of the mall, facing out onto the street. A booth against the far wall would have been ideal for concealing Nyaromon, but with many of them already occupied, Mikado was forced to choose a booth next to the window. At least there was still the possibility he'd be mistaken for some toy, he considered.

Once their orders arrived, Mikado had to unwrap Nyaromon's burger for him, and then watched in embarrassment as he proceeded to gulp it down.

'This is so good, Mikado!' he said in between bites. 'You're so lucky!'

'Why?' Mikado fiddled with the wrapper of his own burger, but didn't remove it.

'Because you get to eat this stuff all the time!'

'Not all the time,' Mikado corrected him. 'This is just a treat, you know. I'd be broke if I always came here.'

'Oh.' Nyaromon appeared let down for a moment, when his grin suddenly returned. 'Then thank you for bringing me here, Mikado!'

'I did say I would,' Mikado glanced down at the table.

'I thought you'd leave me at home,' Nyaromon continued, 'but it's been lots of fun here!'

'_You'd wreck the house if I did,'_ Mikado cringed at the thought.

'Hurry up and eat yours before it gets cold!' Nyaromon said as he swallowed the last of his burger.

'Yeah…' picking up his own burger, Mikado unwrapped it and took a bite, while Nyaromon watched his every movement.

Suddenly, his expression shifted into alarm, and he looked up at the window. 'Mikado! Can you sense that?'

'What are you talking about?' Mikado gave his a disbelieving look.

'There's a hostile Digimon nearby!' Nyaromon told him. 'Let's go fight it!'

And so saying, he hurled himself straight into the window, and fell backwards onto the table with a squashed face.

'_What_ did you do _that_ for?' Mikado gaped at him.

'Uuu, what happened?' Nyaromon demanded as he sat up again.

'It's a glass window…' Mikado pointed out.

'Oh,' Nyaromon blinked at it, when his expression turned serious again. 'Never mind that! Let's go this way!' Jumping onto the floor, he bounced back down through the aisle towards the exit.

'W-wait!' Mikado raised a hand, but Nyaromon gave no sign of listening. With a groan he wrapped up his burger and threw it in his bag, and then hurried after Nyaromon; the other café patrons staring as he went.

Out on the sidewalk, Nyaromon looked up at the roof. 'Ah, Pico Devimon!' he yelled.

As Mikado joined him, he looked up in the same direction. Perched of the roof was a round creature, about the size of a soccer ball. Much of its face, with the exception of its grinning mouth, was covered in a dark blue-grey mask. Large batlike wings, of the same colour, rested at its sides, while a smaller pair was visible further back. Its pale feet had two red talons at the front, and two at the back, while its yellow eyes featured vertical pupils. A skull and crossbones were emblazoned above its eyes, and streamer-like antennae protruded from its head. Its face was creased in a frown, but a smirk seemed to linger in its expression as well. At the sight of it, Mikado took a few steps back.

'Hey, if you want to fight, you should come down here first,' Nyaromon said. 'We can't reach you up there.'

Mikado gave him an exasperated look, but didn't say anything.

'Calm down, who said anything about fighting?' the Pico Devimon spoke with a boy-like voice. 'I was just hoping you could help me with something.'

'What's that?' despite what Pico Devimon said, Nyaromon still appeared on edge.

'You haven't seen a Dracmon around here, have you?' he asked.

'No, you're the only Digimon we've met here,' Nyaromon told him.

'I see. Our boss had heard there are humans with Digimon here who could… _help us_ with something,' Pico Devimon said. 'Dracmon was trying to enlist another human with a Kindramon, but obviously he didn't succeed. You two look capable, how about you come and help us instead?'

'But I can feel all this hostility coming from you…' Nyaromon pointed out. 'Besides, Mikado needs to agree too. What do you think, Mikado?'

Mikado appeared frozen in place, his face filled with worry. 'You're… going to kill us if we don't come, aren't you?' his eyes never left Pico Devimon.

'Geez, have some faith!' Pico Devimon scoffed. 'Do I look like I'm going to kill you?'

Mikado's face tensed, as he fixed Pico Devimon with another stare.

'Fine, be like that!' Pico Devimon launched himself into the air and began flapping away. 'I'll just find someone else to save us. Have that on your conscience!'

'Mikado?' Nyaromon looked up at him.

'Let's just go,' Mikado gave a glare at Pico Devimon's back, then turned and started hurrying down the footpath. From the bouncing noise behind him, he could tell Nyaromon was following.

Crash.

Slowing to a halt, Mikado turned to look for the source of the noise. Numbness filled his body at the sight of a smashed syringe, leaking fluid all over the sidewalk. Above it hovered Pico Devimon.

'Aah, you did want to fight after all!' Nyaromon yelled, bouncing towards him.

Pico Devimon's mouth curved into a smirk, revealing fangs. Another large syringe formed in his talons, and he hurled it at Nyaromon. 'Pico Darts!'

Nyaromon skidded across the ground, as the syringe crashed into the ground before him. 'Why are you doing this?' he yelled. 'If you really needed help, you wouldn't attack us!'

Pico Devimon continued to smirk at him. 'The one who needs help right now… is you!' As the words left his mouth, he swooped down at Nyaromon, who only had a moment to be alarmed before Pico Devimon's talons closed around him, and he was lifted into the air.

Frozen in place, Mikado watched as Pico Devimon flew over the roof, and let Nyaromon drop. 'Now then,' he turned away from the roof, and flapped back towards Mikado, 'Would you like me to use force?' A new syringe appeared in his talons as he spoke. 'Or will you come with me willingly?'

'He's not coming with you!' Nyaromon bounced towards the edge of the roof, even as his body rippled, and was consumed by light.

'Nyaromon, evolve!'

Both Mikado and Pico Devimon turned and watched as Nyaromon began to change. Although a proper head and limbs grew from his body, his torso itself remained round. Long claws protruded from his front and back paws, and his fur took on a scruffy appearance, with bits sticking up. This was most obvious on the tips of his ears and now-lengthened tail. As the light faded, his fur was revealed as mottled gold and tawny-brown, with the exception of his cream underside and face, as well as three dark stripes on his back.

'Kittmon!' he declared, landing at the edge of the roof, and flattening himself against it. Moments later, he launched from the roof again, towards Pico Devimon, baring his claws as he did.

'No you don't!' Pico Devimon flapped higher into the air, and watched as Kittmon sailed beneath him, and then dropped back to the ground. As he landed on all fours, Kittmon scowled up at Pico Devimon.

'That isn't fair!' he yelled. 'Get down here and fight fairly!'

'It wouldn't be much of a fight if it was fair!' Pico Devimon leered in return, another syringe forming in his talons.

Mikado had felt his brain reeling at the sight of Nyaromon changing again, but Kittmon's leap caused him to start from his frozen state. 'H-hey,' he gestured to Kittmon. 'Come with me; I have an idea?'

'What is it, Mikado?' Kittmon asked as they hurried away down the street, the sound of breaking glass echoing from behind them.

'There's no way you're going to reach him, unless you get above him again,' Mikado stated. 'There's a place nearby that should work. When I say so, turn and jump at him again.'

'Okay!'

They continued around the block for a few minutes, dodging a constant barrage of Pico Darts, and enduring the taunts of Pico Devimon ('So you're running away now? Hah!'), until the road they were following split into a fork. With a glance to either side, Mikado darted across the road, towards a subway entrance leading underground. As the pair headed into the stairwell, and down the stairs, a man appeared from around the corner, forcing Mikado to jump to one side to avoid him. The man stopped at the sight of him and Kittmon, and then gaped as Pico Devimon swooped overhead with another dart. As they continued down into the station, he turned and hurried away into the street.

Mikado grimaced as they entered the station proper. Only a few people occupied the area; a couple were buying tickets, some others were moving to a station, while another was making an enquiry. All stopped what they were doing at the sound of running, accompanied by breaking glass. As faces turned in Mikado's direction, many people screamed and ran for the platform exits, leaving the remaining few to back towards the walls.

'You humans really are cowards aren't you? Why don't you stop running already; you're not getting away from me!'

'Why don't you shut up already, stupid winged fluff ball!' Kittmon retorted.

'Why you!' Pico Devimon exclaimed as he hurled another attack at them, which shattered against the ground.

'You can't even hit us, fluff ball!' Kittmon yelled.

Ignoring their yelling, Mikado tried to keep his gaze on the floor, as the stairs out of the platform drew closer. With each step, he felt a numbing ache throbbing through his legs, and spreading up his body. His breaths became more laboured, as the floor bounced around below him.

When the staircase finally grew large and engulfed them, Mikado's chest grew tight. With a glance down at Kittmon, who remained focussed on running, he shifted his attention to the top of the staircase, where the exit shone against the concrete walls framing it.

'Give up already! I'm surprised you haven't dropped from exhaustion yet!'

'It's because we're determined, fluff ball! You should give up instead, because we won't stop for you.'

'Hey, we're almost there,' Mikado muttered to Kittmon. 'Get ready.'

'Okay!' Kittmon said while Pico Devimon launched another tirade at them.

As they reached about halfway up the stairs, without breaking his pace, Mikado yelled, 'Do it now!'

As Kittmon bounded onto another stair, he spun around, and launched into the air. Claws extended, his pupils shrunk as he yelled out, 'Koneko Rage!'

With an alarmed look, Pico Devimon dropped the dart he was holding and attempted to back up. Moments later, Kittmon crashed into him, and both fell down onto the stairs, and bounced down towards the ground, even as Kittmon tried to hit and scrape him with everything possible.

From the exit out into the street, Mikado peered down into the stairwell, yet winced and shut his eyes at the sight before him.

After about a minute of being savaged, now covered in cuts, Pico Devimon managed to wrestle loose and took a few flaps into the air. A long-clawed paw closed around his leg, and he only had time for a garbled cry before he was slammed face-first into the floor. He felt himself lifted from the floor again, but almost instantly was slammed back into it again. This continued a few more times, when the paw around his leg let go, and he was flung through the air, only to hit the nearby wall with a thud. His beaten form toppled to the ground, where it burst apart into pixels, and faded away.

Clambering onto all fours again, Kittmon arched his back, and stretched out his from legs. As he stood up on his hind legs, he looked up at Mikado and waved. 'It's okay now Mikado, I killed him for you!'

Without saying anything, Mikado took a couple of steps back from the doorway.

Kittmon's face fell. 'No, don't get scared of me again!' he bounded up the stairs towards Mikado. 'I'll never do that to you, Mikado!'

'How do I know you're telling the truth?' Mikado continued backing away down the sidewalk, as Kittmon came out from the stairwell.

'Because I only fight bad Digimon, and you're a good human, Mikado,' Kittmon stated. 'So if any more Digimon come after you, I'll do my best to beat them!'

For a moment, Mikado stared at him, before he clasped a hand to his forehead, and turned away, fixing his gaze on the pavers. 'Okay, I'm just going home now,' he said. 'Follow me if you want to.' Without waiting for an answer, he continued walking down the street.

'Wait, Mikado!' Kittmon hurried after him. 'I'll show you how good I can be!'

With his mind still reeling after the fight, Mikado didn't say anything until a while after they'd got home. He still had no idea what would happen the following day.

'Kouhei, can you go wake Seira? She'll be late for soccer if she doesn't get up soon. And don't do anything stupid.'

With a groan, Kouhei cast one last look at the TV, which was airing a morning talk show, before following his other down the hallway. Stopping as he reached Seira's door, he inched the door open. 'Hey, you alive in here?' he asked.

As there was no response from the bed, he glanced around at the laundry door. He could hear his mother putting clothing into the washing machine. Turning back to Seira's door, he slipped inside and shut it behind him.

As he drew closer to her bed, he found she was still lying there, fast asleep. On her bedside table sat her goggles, along with some weird electronic gadget. It puzzled him that his sister would ever sleep in, and yet her calm, sleeping face roused a certain urge in him.

Leaning over her, he yelled, 'WAKE UP, MORON!'

With a scream, Seira's eyes flew open, and her fist collided with Kouhei's chin. 'KOUHEI!' she yelled, as he stumbled backwards, clutching his chin. 'WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?'

'Why'd you have to punch me?' Kouhei grimaced. 'I just came to wake you up.'

Seira opened her mouth to speak again, when her anger turned to horror as the wardrobe door came ajar, and Kindramon's frowning face appeared.

'What is it?' Kouhei frowned, as she made frantic shutting gestures with her hands.

'N-nothing, just-!' Seira began, when her bedroom door opened again, revealing their scowling mother.

'Get out,' she looked at Kouhei, and pointed to the hallway. He left the room in silence.

'I'll talk to you later,' she told Seira. 'But hurry up and get dressed; you'll be late for soccer if you don't hurry.'

'Right, thanks,' Seira continued to gape as the door shut again. With a groan, she picked up the clock on her bedside table, and scowled at it.

The wardrobe door opened again, and Kindramon's head reappeared. With a glance at the bedroom door, she opened the door properly, and said, 'What was that all about? I thought you were being attacked.'

'_I_ thought I was being attacked!' Seira banged the clock back onto the bedside table, and stood up. 'I hate that guy; he's so stupid.'

'Then if you hate him, why do you live with him?' Kindramon asked.

'It's because we're related,' Seira told her. 'I wish he'd just leave already.'

'I don't understand just how you humans function,' Kindramon sighed.

'I don't either,' said Seira. 'Look, I have to go to practice now, so we can talk about what to do next after I'm back, okay?'

'You're going out?' Kindramon frowned. 'And you expect me to wait in that little space until you're back?'

'I'm sorry, but it'll only be for a few hours,' Seira said. 'Hold on a bit and I'll get you some breakfast.' And before Kindramon could say anything else, she hurried from the room, and shut the door again.

Although the TV was still on, the main area was empty. As Seira headed into the kitchen, she could hear her mother's raised voice coming from the other hallway, broken by moments of silence. With a smirk, she pulled the bread from the pantry, and put a couple of slices in the toaster. She then opened the fridge, and pulled out the butter, jam and a bottle of juice. After pouring it into a couple of glasses, she picked up one, and took a sip as her gaze shifted to the TV. The talk show had ended, and was replaced by a news bulletin.

'…Police are still searching for missing fourth-grader Matsumura Akito after he disappeared outside Sanyou Primary School in Kokubyaku Town on Friday afternoon…'

The newsreader was replaced by the photo of a familiar-looking boy.

Seira froze in place, mouth hanging open.


End file.
